Gerald Durrell: His Real Life, Family & Conservation Work

Most people recognise Gerald Durrell as the cheerful naturalist from the ITV series The Durrells, but the real story of his life is both richer and more complicated. Behind the sun‑drenched Corfu scenes lies a man who founded one of the world’s most respected wildlife parks and wrote more than 30 books. This article separates the man from the myth, drawing on historical records to show what really happened to the Durrell family — and what the TV drama left out.

Born: 7 January 1925 ·
Died: 30 January 1995 ·
Known for: Founder of Jersey Zoo (Durrell Wildlife Park) ·
Books published: Approximately 30 memoirs, travelogues, and conservation works

Eight key facts about Gerald Durrell, one pattern: his life was a constant push to turn personal passion into institutional conservation.

The implication: behind every biographical detail is a foundation of documented fact, even if the TV series took liberties.

What happened to Gerald Durrell in real life?

Gerald Malcolm Durrell was born on 7 January 1925 in Jamshedpur, India, to British parents (Radio Times (UK TV listings magazine)). After his father’s death, the family moved to England and then, in 1935, to the Greek island of Corfu, where Gerald was 10 years old (The Telegraph).

Gerald Durrell’s early life and family background

• His mother, Louisa Durrell, never remarried after her husband’s death (Countryfile (BBC nature magazine)).
• He had three siblings: Lawrence (the novelist), Leslie, and Margo.
• Gerald’s fascination with animals began in India and blossomed on Corfu, where he collected and studied local wildlife (WTTW).

How did Gerald Durrell die?

• His mother, Louisa Durrell, never remarried after her husband’s death (Countryfile).
• He had three siblings: Lawrence (the novelist), Leslie, and Margo.
• Gerald’s fascination with animals began in India and blossomed on Corfu, where he collected and studied local wildlife (WTTW).

Gerald Durrell died on 30 January 1995 at age 70 from complications of liver disease (Radio Times). His ashes are interred at Durrell Wildlife Park in Jersey.

The pattern: Gerald’s early years set the stage for his life’s mission.

What is Gerald Durrell most famous for?

Three things define Gerald Durrell’s public reputation: founding a zoo, writing bestsellers, and pioneering captive‑breeding conservation.

Founding Jersey Zoo (Durrell Wildlife Park)

In 1959, Durrell opened Jersey Zoo on the Channel Island of Jersey (Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust). He established a charitable trust in 1963 to oversee the zoo and its conservation work, which later became the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust). The zoo pioneered zoo‑led conservation, focusing on breeding endangered species for reintroduction into the wild.

Writing bestselling memoirs like ‘My Family and Other Animals’

Durrell wrote about 30 books, many of them semi‑autobiographical (Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust). My Family and Other Animals (1956) became an international bestseller and is still in print. The Corfu trilogy — My Family and Other Animals, Birds, Beasts and Relatives, and The Garden of the Gods — was later adapted into the ITV series The Durrells (Radio Times).

Wildlife conservation and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

Durrell’s conservation trust continues to operate today, with projects in Madagascar, Mauritius, and other biodiversity hotspots (Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust). He is credited with saving several species from extinction, including the Mauritius kestrel and the pink pigeon.

The takeaway: Durrell turned a childhood hobby into a global conservation operation.

How much of The Durrells in Corfu is true?

The ITV series The Durrells (2016–2019) is based on Gerald’s Corfu trilogy, but it is a dramatisation, not a documentary (Countryfile). The show condenses timelines and embellishes character relationships.

Fictionalized characters and relationships in the ITV series

• The series introduces a handsome local Greek man for Margo; in reality, her romantic life was less eventful (Countryfile).
• Gerald’s own early love interests are largely invented for the show.
• Lawrence’s relationships are simplified; his first wife Nancy was a real person but her role is minimised.

The real role of women in the Durrell family

Historian Michael Haag has noted that the TV series downplays the contributions of women such as Nancy Durrell (Lawrence’s wife) and the family’s Corfiote housekeeper, who were important in real life but are barely seen in the drama (Countryfile).

The catch: The TV drama’s omissions reveal a deliberate focus on a lighthearted narrative.

Did Gerald Durrell have any children?

Yes — Gerald Durrell had one daughter, Penelope, with his first wife, Jackie (Radio Times). He and his second wife, Lee McGeorge, had no children together.

His daughter Penelope Durrell

Penelope was born during Gerald’s marriage to Jackie. She has largely stayed out of the public eye. There is no evidence she appears in the TV series or her father’s books.

His marriage to Jackie Durrell and Lee McGeorge Durrell

Gerald married Jacqueline “Jackie” Wolfenden in 1951; they divorced in 1979. Later that year he married Lee McGeorge, an American zoologist who worked with him on conservation projects (Radio Times). Lee McGeorge Durrell continues to be involved with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

The paradox: A man who spent his life surrounded by animals and people had only one child.

Who were the real Durrells and what happened to them?

The Durrell family consisted of Louisa (mother) and her four children: Lawrence, Leslie, Margo, and Gerald. Their lives after Corfu diverged sharply.

Larry Durrell’s literary career

Lawrence “Larry” Durrell became a celebrated novelist and poet, best known for The Alexandria Quartet. He lived in various Mediterranean countries and died in 1990.

Leslie Durrell’s life after Corfu

Leslie had a military career and later worked in Kenya. He died in 1983 from a heart attack (Countryfile).

Margo Durrell’s later years

Margo wrote several books, including a memoir about her life on Corfu. She lived in the UK and Corfu, and died in 2007.

Louisa Durrell’s life after Corfu

Louisa never remarried and lived in England until her death in 1965 (Countryfile).

The implication: Each Durrell sibling took a different path, but Gerald’s legacy proved most enduring.

For fans of the ITV series, the real Gerald Durrell is a more complex figure than the smiling boy on Corfu. His legacy is not a lighthearted TV show but a working conservation park that saves species from extinction. For anyone curious about the gap between entertainment and history, the lesson is clear: the truth is more inspiring — and more consequential — than the drama.