Keepers at The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo are excited to announce the arrival of the first pair of critically endangered Baer’s Pochard to be born at the park. The ducklings hatched on 15 July and are doing well.
Baer’s Pochard – Credit RZSS/Siân Addison
The Baer’s Pochard is a rather elegant small brown migratory diving duck found in the wetlands of eastern Asia. Whilst it was once a common site, it is now a species in serious trouble.
Jo Elliot, Animal Collections Manager at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, said: “We are very excited about the arrival of the ducklings, particularly as they are listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. RZSS Edinburgh Zoo is part of the European Breeding Programme for Baer’s Pochard so births such as these really help to safeguard the future of this extremely rare species’.
“The new arrivals have been well looked after by both parents for the last few weeks and have recently been learning to dive and forage on their own. The species is well known for its diving abilities and the ducklings are already picking up this skill.” Baer’s Pochard can stay submerged for around 40 seconds, reaching a depth of about two meters whilst looking for food.
The species was reclassified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2012 due to rapid population decline, largely down to hunting and wetland destruction across its range countries. Covering a large area throughout the course of the year due to migration, the Baer’s Pochard breeds in eastern Russia and north-eastern China. The majority of the population migrates to spend the winter in eastern and southern China, north-eastern India, Thailand and Myanmar.
For further information on the Baer’s Pochard and all conservation projects and events at The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo please go to: www.edinburghzoo.org.uk
*Featured image – Credit RZSS/Siân Addison
