Madagascar Pochard
World's Rarest Duck
Critically Endangered
![Picture](/uploads/7/8/9/1/78912226/704497521.jpg?361)
General Information:
The Madagascar Pochard is a medium sized diving duck, endemic to Madagascar. Males have dark chestnut-brown feathers with an earthy-red flank. The brown of the upper body fades to a white under body. The coverts of the under tail are white in colour, the wing has an extending white bar across the total length of the wing. The beak, legs and feet are all grey in colour, with white iris upon the eyes. During mating season (September-January), the male become duller and browner whereas the female becomes a duller brown compared to the male and lacks the white iris. The Madagascar Pochard is usually spotted in pairs or solo, but is not known to form flocks.
The nests of the Madagascar Pochard are found within vegetation on the edges of the lake. Chicks are known to be dark brown on the back, but a yellowish colour on the face and under-body. Six-Nine eggs are laid on average, which are then incubated for 26-28 days.To feed the Madagascar Pochard will dive under water, in shallow areas, for one-two minutes, in search of aquatic plants and possibly invertebrates.
The Madagascar Pochard is a medium sized diving duck, endemic to Madagascar. Males have dark chestnut-brown feathers with an earthy-red flank. The brown of the upper body fades to a white under body. The coverts of the under tail are white in colour, the wing has an extending white bar across the total length of the wing. The beak, legs and feet are all grey in colour, with white iris upon the eyes. During mating season (September-January), the male become duller and browner whereas the female becomes a duller brown compared to the male and lacks the white iris. The Madagascar Pochard is usually spotted in pairs or solo, but is not known to form flocks.
The nests of the Madagascar Pochard are found within vegetation on the edges of the lake. Chicks are known to be dark brown on the back, but a yellowish colour on the face and under-body. Six-Nine eggs are laid on average, which are then incubated for 26-28 days.To feed the Madagascar Pochard will dive under water, in shallow areas, for one-two minutes, in search of aquatic plants and possibly invertebrates.
![Picture](/uploads/7/8/9/1/78912226/6126460.jpg)
Location:
The Madagascar Pochard was once only found at lake Alaotra, Madagascar, but as of 1991, no Pochards have been seen at this location. The Madagascar Pochard was thought to be extinct until the rediscovery of the bird in 2006 at ‘Red Lake’, a small volcanic-born crater that has since become a lake, 330km from Lake Alaotra.
The Madagascar Pochard was once only found at lake Alaotra, Madagascar, but as of 1991, no Pochards have been seen at this location. The Madagascar Pochard was thought to be extinct until the rediscovery of the bird in 2006 at ‘Red Lake’, a small volcanic-born crater that has since become a lake, 330km from Lake Alaotra.
![Picture](/uploads/7/8/9/1/78912226/151035977.jpg?334)
Threats:
The Madagascar Pochard species consists of somewhere between 20-25 birds at ‘Red Lake’, Madagascar and is known as the world’s rarest duck. The main causes for the decline of population for the Pochard are linked to habitat destruction and an unfit habitat. Due to the fact that Madagascar is the world’s Ninth poorest country, they rely on the natural resources around them to survive. The movement of the Madagascar Pochard from Lake Alaotra to ‘Red Lake’ is likely due to the conversion of wetlands to agricultural through means of slash-and-burn deforestation, pollution of the water caused by sediments and the over fishing of lakes and rivers. Through the latter half of the 1900’s 60% Madagascar’s wetlands were destroyed. The over-fishing has caused locals to pursue food in constantly changing hunting grounds, causing the Madagascar Pochard to flee. The sediments in the water are unfit for the birds and vegetation to survive. Even though the Pochard has taken resident in ‘Red Lake’, the deep waters stop young from getting the necessary for their survival; the young are not yet physically able to deep as far as their parents.
Conservation Efforts:
In order to help the Madagascar Pochard several things have been done including making Lake Alaotra a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2003, conservation of the last unmodified habitat of the area, education and raising awareness with the local people, continuing search for any other Pochards. The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, The Peregrine Fund, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and the Government of Madagascar are conducting surveys at ‘Red Lake’. ‘Red Lake’ is now permanently guarded and is currently seeking formal protection. Due to the fact that all the young from the 2008 breeding season, and an expedition team found only 20 adults (six females) in 2009, a special team have successfully taken three eggs to raise in captivity to later be released back in the wild.
The Madagascar Pochard species consists of somewhere between 20-25 birds at ‘Red Lake’, Madagascar and is known as the world’s rarest duck. The main causes for the decline of population for the Pochard are linked to habitat destruction and an unfit habitat. Due to the fact that Madagascar is the world’s Ninth poorest country, they rely on the natural resources around them to survive. The movement of the Madagascar Pochard from Lake Alaotra to ‘Red Lake’ is likely due to the conversion of wetlands to agricultural through means of slash-and-burn deforestation, pollution of the water caused by sediments and the over fishing of lakes and rivers. Through the latter half of the 1900’s 60% Madagascar’s wetlands were destroyed. The over-fishing has caused locals to pursue food in constantly changing hunting grounds, causing the Madagascar Pochard to flee. The sediments in the water are unfit for the birds and vegetation to survive. Even though the Pochard has taken resident in ‘Red Lake’, the deep waters stop young from getting the necessary for their survival; the young are not yet physically able to deep as far as their parents.
Conservation Efforts:
In order to help the Madagascar Pochard several things have been done including making Lake Alaotra a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2003, conservation of the last unmodified habitat of the area, education and raising awareness with the local people, continuing search for any other Pochards. The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, The Peregrine Fund, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and the Government of Madagascar are conducting surveys at ‘Red Lake’. ‘Red Lake’ is now permanently guarded and is currently seeking formal protection. Due to the fact that all the young from the 2008 breeding season, and an expedition team found only 20 adults (six females) in 2009, a special team have successfully taken three eggs to raise in captivity to later be released back in the wild.