Beginning of the project: 2017
Donation sum collected in 2023: 138 030 CZK
Overall fundraising revenue: 1 183 027 CZK
Method of financing: the 4NATURE fundraiser
Who would expect a duck being critically endangered?!
The truth is, the protection of birds rarely crosses the mind of the crowd. This beautiful Asian species is very sensitive to the human disturbance of its wetland habitats. Due to this factor, the annually decreasing numbers of ducks are estimated to be 150–450 mature individuals left in the wild.
Zlín Zoo has a long history of bird breeding. Thus, it comes as no surprise we had to join the conservation cause of these critically endangered species. The national park in Way Kambas, Sumatra is recognized to hold the greatest population of the white-winged ducks; sadly, the non-protected areas are severely degrading due to deforestation. Also, the population is because of humans very fragmented, resulting in the genetic degeneration of the species.
Working with the Australian organization Save Indonesian Endangered Species (SIES) since 2017, donations provided by the Zlín Zoo helped securing anti-poaching patrols and removing illegal fishing lines, snares, nets and debris left by them, also the construction of a protected breeding aviary for rescued white-winged ducks and protecting the wild critical breeding sites, then supporting ecotourism which deters the hunters and poverty leading to poaching the species as well as running an educational campaign.
Since 2008, our zoo breeds the white-winged ducks itself. Up to this date, we have managed to rear 38 fledglings of our own. Thanks to this significant breeding success, we were able to help establishing a back-up population of the ducks in Guwahati Zoo in Indian Assam. Globally, the swamps of Assam belong to the very few remaining wild habitats of this species.