Madagascar Pochard
CR

Madagascar Pochard

Aythya innotata

Stable

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar_pochard

Overview

The Madagascar pochard or Madagascan pochard is an extremely rare diving duck of the genus Aythya. Thought to be extinct in the late 1990s, specimens of the species were rediscovered at Lake Matsaborimena near Bemanevika in Madagascar in 2006. By 2017, a captive breeding program had produced a population of around 90 individuals. The birds were reintroduced to the wild in December 2018.

The Madagascar Pochard faces imminent extinction due to severe habitat degradation of its freshwater wetland ecosystems. Introduced fish species have disrupted the aquatic food webs this diving duck depends upon, while agricultural expansion and sedimentation have destroyed critical breeding and foraging areas. The species was thought extinct until a small population was rediscovered in 2006, but continues to decline due to ongoing wetland destruction and invasive species pressure.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Madagascar Pochard inhabits freshwater lakes and marshes with emergent vegetation, particularly favoring deeper waters with submerged aquatic plants. This diving duck requires clean, fish-rich wetlands with suitable nesting sites among dense reed beds and floating vegetation.

Wetlands (inland)· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent freshwater lakes· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionHabitat & natural process restorationSpecies managementSpecies recoverySpecies reintroductionEx-situ conservationAwareness & communicationsPolicies and regulationsCompliance and enforcement

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Madagascar Pochard classified as Critically Endangered?
Madagascar Pochard is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Madagascar Pochard faces imminent extinction due to severe habitat degradation of its freshwater wetland ecosystems. Introduced fish species have disrupted the aquatic food webs this diving duck depends upon, while agricultural expansion and sedimentation have destroyed critical breeding and foraging areas. The species was thought extinct until a small population was rediscovered in 2006, but continues to decline due to ongoing wetland destruction and invasive species pressure.
Where does Madagascar Pochard live?
Madagascar Pochard occurs in Madagascar. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Madagascar Pochard?
The main threats to Madagascar Pochard are 11.1, 12.1, 2.1, and 5.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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