Formerly known as Bernier’s Teal, the Madagascar teal is among the rarest of all waterfowl. The species was thought to be extinct until 1969, when stragglers were rediscovered on the island of Madagascar. Biologists believe the bird faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

The entire wild population may number less than 250 birds and is now confined to the coastal wetlands of western Madagascar. Numerous factors have lead to this bird becoming endangered, all directly or indirectly related to an exploding human population on the island of Madagascar. The shallow lakeshore habitat crucial to their survival has been modified by rice paddies, forcing the teals to move to the few remaining areas where rice cultivation is not feasible.

Survival breeding may be the last viable option to insure the future for the Madagascar Teal.  In the mid-1990’s, a group of teals were translocated to the Jersey Waterfowl Centre, in England, to begin a breeding program.

Sylvan Heights received two pair of Madagascar Teal in May of 2005, which at that time represented the only birds in the United States. Successful breeding of the birds occurred at the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Breeding Center in April 2006. The breeding program is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Waterfowl Taxon Advisory Group, which hopes to establish a stable managed population for this critically endangered bird. Some of the Madagascar Teal reared at the avian breeding center can be viewed in the Africa Aviary by visitors to the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park & Eco-Center.

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