Six of the world’s rarest ducks have reached adulthood after conservationists successfully raised them from eggs collected in the wild.

The Madagascar pochards were hatched after their eggs were carried 44km (27 miles) on foot before being taken to a specialist breeding center in Madagascar. The species was once thought to be extinct before being rediscovered in 2006.

The Jersey-based Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust carried out the work, which it said gave scientists another way to protect the species when nests were threatened.

Roland Digby, a conservation biologist at Durrell, said: “This is an important milestone for the Madagascar pochard.”

Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

The trust said the breakthrough could be particularly important because the Madagascar pochard survived at just one known wild nesting site worldwide.

Digby said: “We’ve shown that, when conditions demand it, we can safely collect eggs from the wild, transport them on foot and successfully incubate and rear healthy birds.”

The eggs were carried in a cooler before being transported to Durrell’s specialist breeding center in Antsohihy in northern Madagascar.

Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

Since the species’ rediscovery, Durrell said it had led an international recovery program combining habitat restoration, captive breeding and reintroductions.

About 180 birds now exist across captive and wild populations, including 51 at the Durrell breeding center, 82 at Bemanevika and 74 at Lake Sofia.

Durrell chief executive Rebecca Brewer said: “For many people, this is a story about six ducks.

“For us, it’s about what long-term conservation can achieve.”

The good news in this story is that success is not measured in large gains, but in small steps. Today’s JohnKu talks about persistence in conservation. I hope you have a beautiful weekend.

Virtue by John W. Howell © 2026

It is a long road,

To nature conservation . . .

Persistence is key.