If like me you don't have desktop internet access here is the story..
New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) says Daisy the duck, who
saved her species from extinction, has died.
Daisy was a Campbell Island teal, the world's rarest duck species.
DOC official Karen Barlow said that in 12 years in captivity Daisy
reared 24 ducklings and in turn they produced 39 more birds.
There are only about 30 of the ducks left in the wild and about 80 in
captivity.
"This remarkable event marked a significant occasion in the captive
breeding programme and essentially secured the future of the species,"
Ms Barlow said.
The teal hail from sub-Antarctic Campbell Island, 600 kilometres south
of New Zealand, is among the bleakest places on earth and no longer
permanently occupied.
The 11,300 hectare island had become over run with rats introduced by
whalers in the 1830s which decimated the duck population.
In 1975 Daisy was among a tiny population of teal rediscovered on tiny
Dent Island, just off Campbell.
Daisy was taken to a captive breeding programme at Mount Bruce, north of
there, and was introduced to Donald and became one of only four wild
origin females to breed in captivity.
The long-term aim is to reintroduce the ducks on Campbell Island once
the rats are eradicated.
A major rat-poisoning program was run last year.
__________________________________
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Alastair Smith
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-----Original Message-----
From: Billinghurst, David (CRTS)
Sent: Wednesday, 6 November 2002 17:03
To:
Subject: Duck that saved a species dies
New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) says Daisy the duck, who
saved her species from extinction, has died.
Daisy was a Campbell Island teal, the world's rarest duck species.
See http://www.abc.net.au/news/2002/11/item20021106142841_1.htm
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