Louisville Zoo hatches one of the world’s rarest ducklings

Louisville Zoo helping to save the Madagascar Teal from extinction 

Louisville Zoo recently hatched a Madagascar teal duckling, one of the world’s rarest members of the duck family and a species seriously threatened by extinction. There are only about 2,000 Madagascar teal ducks left in the wild (in Madagascar) and 200 in zoos.

The duckling, named Gerry, was born May 20 and is the first Madagascar teal ever born at the Louisville Zoo.

The egg was found by a keeper while doing daily routine cleaning after the mother had abandoned the egg. It was immediately taken to an incubator in the Zoo’s bird rearing area. The incubation period for a Madagascar teal is 27-28 days. Soon, Louisville Zoo Bird Curator Gary Michael heard the duckling peeping inside the shell. Duplicating what the mother might do in the wild with her beak, Michael rubbed his fingernail on the shell for hours letting the duckling know someone was there. After the duckling worked to try and break out of its shell without success, Michael poked a hole in the shell to assist it.

“Some birds die in the process of trying to break out of their shell,” Michael said. “After hours passed and it did not break out, I stepped in to assist. We couldn’t afford to lose this highly endangered duck. At the Zoo we not only try to replicate the natural world, we work to be better than nature with our unmatched care and husbandry.”

Statistics show that only about 60 percent of eggs hatch in the wild. Zoos strive for an 80 percent success rate.

Also in the wild only 60 percent of ducklings live beyond 1 year of age. That percentage is increased to 90 percent in zoos given the exceptional care they receive.

Gerry the duckling was born to a pair of Madagascar teal on loan from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust on the island of Jersey, which is part of the British Isles.

“This bird has a special meaning for me, besides knowing I am helping to save one of the world’s rarest animals,” Michael said. “The late Gerald Durrell, founder and director of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, was one of my heroes and a model of professionalism for me growing up. He had a true conservation-oriented view. I even had the great fortune to meet and to do an internship with him at the Trust in the 70s. Durrell developed a captive breeding program for the Madagascar teal, and I actually named our duckling Gerry after him. The birth of this Madagascar teal is a real honor for me and somewhat a tribute to Durrell.”

The main factors causing the Madagascar teal to be endangered in the wild are the lost of habitat, degradation of wetlands and hunting.

The duckling is currently off exhibit in a bird rearing area and is eating grain, hard boiled eggs, insects and vitamin supplements three times a day. Michael has also set up mirrors in duckling’s area to form the visual illusion of other ducklings for socialization and to minimize the imprinting on him and other Zoo keepers.

The ducking will eventually be moved to another zoo and introduced to a mate.

“This duckling is definitely the future of the species,” Michael said. “I am proud that the Louisville Zoo is involved in conservation to save this extraordinary animal from extinction.”

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For more information on the Madagascar Teal and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, visit www.durrell.org/Animals/Birds/Madagascar-Teal.

Photo by Kara Bussabarger.