SUNDAY, AUGUST 12, 1984
ENDANGERED DUCKS REARED IN HONG KONG
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THE HONG KONG ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS HAS SUCCEEDED IN PRODUCING DUCKLINGS FROM TWO PAIRS OF THE RARE WHITE-WINGED WOOD DUCK CAIRINA SCUTULATA ON BREEDING LOAN FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY FAMOUS WILDFOWL TRUST AT SLIMBRIDGE, WHOSE HONORARY DIRECTOR IS SIR PETER SCOTT.
THE BREEDING LOAN IS PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT (WORLD WILDLIFE FUND PROJECT 406) TO SAVE THIS RARE DUCK FROM EXTINCTION.
ATTEMPTS ARE BEING MADE TO BUILD UP CAPTIVE-BRED STOCKS FOR RE-INTRODUTION INTO ADEQUATELY PROTECTED SANCTUARIES WITHIN THE SPECIES' FORMER AND PRESENT RANGE.
THIS TECHNIQUE HAS ALREADY BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY IN REHABILITATING THE HAWAIIAN GOOSE BRANTA SANDVI CENSIS AND THE NORTH AMERICAN WOOD DUCK AIX SPONSA.
THE NATURAL RANGE OF THE WHITE-WINGED WOOD DUCK IS FROM ASSAM AND BURMA, THROUGH THAILAND AND INDO-CHINA TO SUMATRA AND JAVA. THE BIRDS INHABIT SHELTERED POOLS AND SLOW STREAMS IN PRIMARY RAIN FOREST.
HABITAT DESTRUCTION ON A MASSIVE SCALE, COUPLED WITH POLLUTION OF AVAILABLE WATERS AND HUNTING, HAS LED TO A STEEP DECLINE IN NUMBERS, AND THIS SPECIES IS NOW EXTINCT OVER MUCH OF ITS FORMER RANGE.
TWO BROODS OF DUCKLINGS HAVE BEEN HATCHED THIS YEAR AT THE ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS. THE FIRST SIX ARE NOW SEVEN WEEKS OLD AND THE SECOND BROOD OF SIX WAS HATCHED ON JULY 29-30.
THE DUCKLINGS WERE HATCHED BY DOMESTIC CHICKEN ACTING AS FOSTER PARENTS, BECAUSE BY REMOVING THE FIRST CLUTCH OF EGGS THE DUCKS ARE STIMULATED TO BREED AGAIN.
IT IS PROBABLE THAT WHEN THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH THE YOUNG DUCKS WILL BE SENT TO A BREEDING CENTRE IN PRACHIN BURI PROVINCE, THAILAND, WHERE PREPARATIONS ARE UNDER WAY TO REINTRODUCE WHITE- WINGED WOOD DUCKS TO THE WILD.
HONG KONG IS ONE OF ONLY FIVE CENTRES OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM TO WHICH THE WILDFOWL TRUST HAS SENT THIS SPECIES ON BREEDING LOAN. THE PAIR THAT BRED THIS YEAR AT THE ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS ARRIVED IN HONG KONG IN 1982.
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