The Madagascar Pochard. Photo credit: WWT

The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is a leading UK conservation organization dedicated to saving wetlands and raising awareness of the issues that affect their survival. Founded in 1946 by the naturalist Sir Peter Scott, WWT has a network of nine specialist wetland visitor centres in the UK as well as being engaged in a number of international conservation projects worldwide.

WWT has joined forces with The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, The Peregrine Fund and the Madagascar Government in a major initiative to save the Madagascar Pochard – the world's rarest duck.

The project aims to establish a viable population of the bird in the wild through a conservation, breeding and release programme. Conservation activities at a release site will serve as a demonstration project for site restoration, and will integrate conservation with the needs and livelihoods of local communities. The MCFEA will be supporting this project in 2009 with a grant of £30,000.