Hope for the Marbled Teal: Captive-bred birds successfully migrate and adapt

The Life Project, dedicated to safeguarding the critically endangered Marbled Teal, is beginning to yield promising, albeit modest, results.

Research led by Miguel Hernández University (UMH) of Elche on the captive breeding program’s successes and challenges is starting to show significant progress.

Project Milestone

For the first time, Marbled Teal raised in captivity have successfully migrated across the Mediterranean, following the same routes as their wild counterparts which is a milestone in the project.

Juan Manuel Pérez García, a professor of Environmental Sciences and advisor to the Life Marbled Teal Project, underscores the significance of captive-bred Marbled Teal mirroring the behaviour of their wild counterparts.

Survival Rates

He cites recent findings which revealed that Marbled Teal released in El Hondo that exhibit greater movement tend to have higher survival rates.

“The more exploratory and proactive birds are the ones that survive longer, as they are able to locate safe feeding and shelter areas,” explains the professor.

However, the researcher also acknowledges the high risk of predation for newly released chicks, which are often hunted by predators such as harriers, owls, eagles, foxes, and even feral cats.

Adapting & Surviving

Despite these dangers, the more active birds have a significantly higher chance of adapting to their new wild environments and surviving.

In response, caretakers have begun implementing stimulation programmes aimed at enhancing the birds’ survival instincts.

“We start preparing them for survival from the safety of their cages by exposing them to representations of potential predators,” the professor added.