Madagascar Pochard or White-eye (Aytha innotata). Endemic Madagascar. Critically Endangered.

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Madagascar Pochard (Aytha innotata), may be the rarest bird still living in the wild. There are a mere 20-25 birds on a single volcanic crater lake site, in the north of the country. A collaborative conservation captive breeding programme, partners include The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, The Peregrine Fund, and Government of Madagascar, now exists on the island to make a safety net against the real threat of imminent extinction. As of 2016, with the birds bred at this facility, the partnership using local staff, have almost quadrupled the world population. The longer term intention is to find and manage suitable habitat and to re-introduce this species to other sites.

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Size: 3744px × 5616px
Photo credit: © Joe Blossom / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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