Are you watching this, pandas? World's rarest duck breeds successfully in captivity, giving birth to 18 adorable fuzzy chicks (taking the total population to 40)
- Species thought to be extinct but found in pond in Madagascar
- Only 22 specimens alive - but now 18 chicks have been born
- 'Incredible step forward in saving Pochard from extinction,' say scientists
Pandas might not find it easy, but after an anxious wait, the world’s rarest duck has bred successfully in captivity.
Eighteen beautiful fuzzy chicks hatched - in a significant moment that could save the Madagascar pochard from extinction.
The species was believed to have been extinct until its rediscovery by chance on a single small lake in northern Madagascar, where just 22 of the cinnamon-coloured diving duck are left in the wild.
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Four of 18 ducklings bred from the world's rarest duck, the Madagascar pochard
Conservationists said the species remains extremely vulnerable to extinction from single events such as pollution or disease outbreak.
An emergency expedition two years ago saw eggs taken from the wild and reared in captivity at a specially built centre in Antsohihy on the island off the coast of Africa.
Ducks successfully hatched from the eggs taken into captivity have now themselves bred, producing 18 ducklings which are being reared at the centre.
Dr Glyn Young, a conservation biologist with Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, one of the partners in the breeding programme, said: ‘The ducklings represent an incredible step forward in the fight to save the pochard from extinction.
‘Seven years ago, people thought this bird was already extinct and yet the discovery of one small population and now the arrival of these ducklings has led to real hope that the birds can one day flourish again.’
The Madagascar pochard was believed to have been extinct until its rediscovery by chance on a single small lake in northern Madagascar
Seven eggs bred from the world's rarest duck. Conservationists said the species remains extremely vulnerable to extinction from single events such as pollution or disease outbreak
Feeding time for eight of 18 ducklings, it was rediscovered by chance on a single small lake in northern Madagascar, where just 22 of the cinnamon-coloured diving duck are left in the wild
The conservation project, which also involves the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), the Peregrine Fund, Asity Madagascar and the Madagascan government, is studying the wild population to understand why it is declining and where the best place to release a captive bred group would be.
Scientists have raised concerns that the birds appear to have a very low breeding success rate at Lake Matsaborimena, their last remaining wild site.
Peter Cranswick, head of species recovery at WWT, said: ‘Although Lake Matsaborimena is the last hiding place for the ducks, it is far from ideal as a habitat.
‘Our initial investigations suggest there is too little food and this may be leading to the low survival of the ducklings; in effect, they are starving to death.’
Mr Cranswick said the team had identified some lakes where the physical conditions were potentially right for the pochards.
But as fishing is thought to be a factor in their decline and local communities depend on fishing, the success of a reintroduction scheme depends on gaining local support and finding a solution that benefits both locals and the birds.
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