Diving Duck Rediscovered
Posted by: Loren Coleman on February 16th, 2007
Thought extinct, with the “last one” reportedly being seen in 1991, the Madagascar pochard (Aythya innotata), was rediscovered last month, according to a BBC News report published in January 2007. This diving duck had been given up as long gone by most ornithologists.
A group of conservationists from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust discovered a group of at least 25 pochards while searching for a rare hawk.
Glyn Young, of the Durrell Trust, has been searching for the duck, Aythya innotata, since 1989. His passion for the quest is so intense he named his eldest daughter Aythya.
The finding is extremely exciting. It was incredible. Some of the chicks could only just have hatched. The Madagascar pochard is extremely secretive and little is known about its life cycle and behaviour. It was believed that they preferred marshy lakes with lots of reeds and emergent vegetation but the newly discovered population was found in a steep-sided volcanic lake with little shoreline marsh and reeds.Glyn Young, ornithologist
Random Posts
- Similar Phenomena:
Another triumph in the face of adversity. Gotta love that mother nature eh?! Really great news. I love hearing about these supposed extinct animals being found alive and well. Maybe there’s hope for us all yet?
Wonderful news!
Maybe the next rediscovery will be the Passenger Pigeon. Wouldn’t that be great?
Ahh, Passenger Pigeons, such a beautiful bird. One can only hope, but I think that quite unlikely. More likely would be the Carolina Parakeet, with good evidence now that it survived well into the 1930’s in the south. That’s near enough in time to be plausible.
Has anyone noticed that there’s been a lot of rediscoveries lately? If I didn’t know better, I’d think some time traveller was procuring specimens from the past and dropping them off in the present day…I know that’s one of the things I’d be doing, if I had access to temporal travel.
I love the idea of naming people after endangered and extinct animals…it’s a somber and solemn way to remember them, if nothing else. Not sure I’d ever name a kid Ectopistes, Dinornis, or Hydrodamalis, though…Maybe a middle name? On the other hand, Raphus, Thylacine, and Thylacoleo all have potential…
Hmmm…. Thylacina … what a pretty name for a little girl.
Great find, someone please take dna samples just to make sure it doesn’t disappear again.