Editing Gerald Durrell (section)

=== Argentina 1958 ===
Durrell began planning a trip to Argentina once the negotiations with Poole council collapsed.  As with the Cameroons trip he planned to film the expedition.<ref>Botting (1999), p. 258.</ref>  While planning it, Jacquie suggested that they try the [[Channel Islands]] as a possible location for the zoo; Durrell liked the idea, but they had no contacts there and did not follow the suggestion up.<ref>Botting (1999), p. 264.</ref>  A few weeks later Rupert Hart-Davis gave them an introduction to Hugh Fraser, who owned a manor, [[Les Augrès Manor|Les Augrès]], on [[Jersey]], and the Durrells flew out to meet him.  Durrell happened to mention to Fraser that Les Augrès would be a wonderful site for the zoo; he had not realised that Fraser was considering selling.  By the time the Durrells left Jersey an agreement had been reached, and Durrell began negotiating with the island authorities, who proved far more cooperative than Bournemouth and Poole town councils had been.  Arrangements had to be made quickly as there was less than a month to go before they left for Argentina.  The lease for Les Augrès was signed on 17 October 1958, and the following day the expedition sailed from [[Plymouth]] on the ''English Star''.  Durrell hired Ken Smith as superintendent, with the intention of having Smith open the zoo while the Durrells were still in South America.<ref>Botting (1999), pp. 264–267.</ref>

It took a month to get the expedition's equipment through customs, but eventually they were able to drive to Patagonia, where they filmed [[fur seal]]s, [[elephant seal]]s, and [[penguin]]s.  Jacquie had been injured in a traffic accident, and had apparently recovered, but it seemed possible she had fractured her skull, and when they returned to Buenos Aires in February 1959 she took ship for England.<ref>Botting (1999), pp. 268–269.</ref>  After she had gone Durrell went to [[Calilegua]], in [[Jujuy Province|Jujuy province]], and brought the animals collected there back to Buenos Aires by train.  These included a [[Geoffroy's cat]], [[coati]]s, [[Peccary|peccaries]], a [[Cougar|puma]], [[seriema]]s, and [[Golden-collared macaw|yellow-necked macaws]].<ref>Botting (1999), pp. 269–270.</ref>  After another short excursion to [[Mendoza, Argentina|Mendoza]], in search of [[fairy armadillo]]s, Durrell returned to Buenos Aires, where he met [[David Attenborough]], who at that time was a producer for the BBC, and had been filming and collecting in Paraguay.  Durrell described his plans for the zoo to Attenborough, who thought it could not succeed; Durrell assured him that he would be able to support it with the royalties from his books.<ref>Botting (1999), pp. 271–274.</ref>