A short text from Owen this evening says it all: “100% hatch just complete. Massive grins.”
Somewhat against the odds, we have seven new ducklings! We’ve had concerns about these birds given their rough ride out from the lake – but this is perfect vindication of the team’s decision to bring them out as eggs, and not to wait for them to hatch at the lake. Heavy rains in the last few days mean that we could not have reached the lake or, more likely, would have been stuck there.
Transporting the eggs on rough roads always had an element of risk, but it is a huge credit to the team that they all have hatched successfully. Special thanks must go to Franckly, our driver from Durrell, for his skills in negotiating the atrocious roads carefully and smoothly to avoid injuring his precious cargo.
We will have to keep a careful eye on them over the next few days. But the world population of Madagascar pochards now numbers over 40 as a result of our endeavours. There are a lot of smiling faces in several offices (and a hotel chalet) in Madagascar and the UK.
The scene in the chalet now probably looks something like the photo below by Nige – it shows the first brood, shortly after hatching, getting used to their new ‘nest’.
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04/12/09 Nige: Owen Joiner - your friends and colleagues are with you for every heartbeat! You are the man!! Good luck!!!
24/11/09 Alison : Good luck duckies and team!