Madagascar pochard

How it was counted

The figure is Durrell's own total of birds (animals, not pairs or nests) at Lake Sofia, Bemanevika and the Antsohihy breeding centre, published with no range. Durrell's figures for each place do not add up to that total, so no wild-only figure is shown.

An estimate from Durrell, published with no range, for wild and captive birds together, so read it as about 180, not exactly 180.

What moves it

Durrell reports that Lake Sofia, where some of the wild birds live, lost water through an eroded channel, and that predators or floods can put nests at risk.

• Lake Sofia draining through an eroded channel (2024). Source: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
• nests threatened by flooding or predators. Source: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

Who is helping

Durrell's breeding programme, set up with WWT, the Government of Madagascar, Asity Madagascar and The Peregrine Fund, had raised the known number of birds to about 119 as of 2 February 2025, Durrell says. Madagascar's government, local communities, WWT and Durrell planned a dam to keep Lake Sofia from draining; work was under way in 2025, by which time the water had risen. In August 2026, Durrell and The Peregrine Fund (the manager of Bemanevika Protected Area) collected fertile eggs at the only known wild nesting site and reared birds at the Antsohihy breeding centre.

The next count

Durrell publishes its figures at irregular intervals, so no date is known for the next count (last checked 12 November 2026).

Sources

• Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

  • Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Last checked 12 November 2026.
  • Saving Lake Sofia Last checked 12 November 2026.

What changed

• 12 November 2026 Added to Live Species, on the wall (1,000 or fewer): About 180 (Estimate, no range, August 2026).

Every change on the site