Twice As Many Endangered Ducks Quacking Around

Conservation efforts have doubled the population of rare diving ducks in China.

Various initiatives, including habitat restoration, scientific monitoring, and public awareness and engagement, as well as specific national recovery plans such as the National Bird Migration Corridor Protection Action Plan (2021-2035) and the China Action Plan for Migratory Bird Flyway Conservation (2024-2030) have led to increased numbers.

The Baer Pochard is classified as critically endangered, with numbers hitting a low of roughly 1,000 individuals in 2012. The latest estimates show that the bird population in China has more than doubled, with up to 2,555 individuals now living in 16 key habitats. Thanks to conservation measures, China is home to over 80% of Baer Pochard’s global population. This latest study is set to pave the way for further measures that will expand monitoring systems, protect core habitats, and mitigate threats such as wetland degradation, potentially allowing for a population of Baer Pochards that survive and thrive.