This summer while on vacation, I decided to reread some of my nature books, that I have collected over the years.

When my son was in middle school, a librarian suggested that all of us would like Gerald Durrell. This fascinating man was a naturalist, who founded his own rare zoo on the Isle of Jersey.
He has written 30 books or so on his adventures growing up and that he had in all his worldly travels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Durrell

He is very funny, witty, and droll. And very empathetic to the needs and behavior of animals.

I first reread The Aye-Aye and I, which was one of his last works.
Then I read My Family and other Animals, both of which were very entertaining and educational.

Then I moved on the last one we had, called Menagerie Manor.
This details how he founded his zoo of rare endangered animals, and took care of them. This book was published in 1964 and around the middle of it, is what I am getting to.

Gerald Durrell discovered that many animals that he kept did not fare well in captivity. Many died even though they were offered good food. So he decided to give them injections of Vitamin D3. And low and behold, they became healthier. He also found B12 was very helpful in certain animals as well.

I was rather stunned! I don't recall reading that when I first read that book. But there it was, and look at what is happening today! We primates live in boxes not unlike a zoo format. There are people in my neighborhood, I never even see. They drive up to their garage, open the door with their electronic thingy and drive in and go inside from there. The exit is similar. They don't sit on a porch or in their yard. They don't do their own yard work or home maintenance and hence are not exposed to the sun much on a daily basis.

This must have buried itself in my subconscious mind, for here I am encouraging people with chronic illness to please get tested for D and B12 at the doctor's. Both relatively inexpensive tests.

I guess we are not that much different from Gerald Durrell's rare zoo animals, after all?