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What are scientists doing to prevent the extinction of Laysan Ducks?

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What are scientists doing to prevent the extinction of Laysan Ducks? Figrure 1. A picture of a Laysan Duck http://www.hear.org/starr/plants/images/image/?q=080531-4692 Introduction: The Laysan Duck is an endangered dabbling ducks endemic to the Laysan Island in the North-western Hawaiian Island. It is a small, dark duck with orange legs and an outstanding white eye-ring. "The amount of white around the eye and on the head varies between individuals, and some adult males also have a slight green iridescence to the dark head. The rest of the plumage is dark reddish brown plumage, heavily mottled dark brown, and an iridescent patch of colour on the wings, appears teal green, or blue. Male Laysan ducks have dark green bills, while the female's is brownish-pale."[7] "Anas laysanensis is the scientific name of Laysan Duck". [1] The Laysan Duck prefers land habitats to aquatic and aerial habitats and normally observed along the coast of Laysan Island or around the inland lake found on the island. This is where they live year round. "Studies of DNA in duck bones throughout the Hawaiian Islands have shown that the Laysan Duck's range once included the entire Hawaiian Archipelago before the mass extinctions that occurred in that region after Polynesian colonization between 400 and 600 AD." ...read more.


Captive breeding: Most endangered species goes through the process of captive breeding to preserve them. Captive breeding programmes can increase the number of individuals of the species if it's low. According to our visit on London Wetland centre, they also perform a captive breeding programme to maintain genetic diversity within the captive population. There are many advantages of captive breeding and I think it is very important to the environment. http://biology.usgs.gov/pierc/Native_Birds/Laysan_ducks.htm In order to perform a captive breeding programme, Scientists needs a place where they will do the captive breeding programme and that is Laysan Island. First they study the Laysan duck, do some research about them and count its population. Then they provide food to feed the ducks and make artificial nests for them or locate its natural nests. The next step is to use artificial incubator or Leave the eggs with the parents for them to hatch. "Non-sibling juvenile ducks were selected for translocation to maximize genetic variability of the Midway population."[4] Scientists transfer the baby ducks to another place and they attached radio transmitters to them in order to monitor their behaviour, movements and survival. ...read more.


Human can also benefit by using Laysan Ducks or other animals that prey on certain crop pests and it is less expensive than any chemical. "This process of agricultural method of controlling pest is called biological pest controls".[6] The disadvantage of conserving species is it could cost a lot of money to do a research and to preserve them. Preserving a species can be expensive because of its facilities, foods and daily maintenance. I learn that scientist have a huge part of saving the Laysan Duck from extinction. I also learn that introducing new species could have disadvantages as well to the species around them. There is also an effect of each individual species in our ecosystem therefore if one species will be extinct then it could have an affect to other species in different ways. * Websites: [1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laysan_Duck [2]http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Anas_laysanensis.html [3]http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands/fauna/laysanduck.html [4] http://biology.usgs.gov/pierc/Native_Birds/Laysan_ducks.htm [5]http://www.fws.gov/Pacific/ecoservices/endangered/recovery/LaysanDuckTeam.htm [6]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_pest_control [7] http://www.arkive.org/laysan-duck/anas-laysanensis/info.html [8] http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eoeeaterminal&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Air%2C+Water+%26+Climate+Change&L2=Preserving+Water+Resources&L3=Water+Habitat+Restoration&sid=Eoeea&b=terminalcontent&f=eea_water_habitat_restoration&csid=Eoeea [9] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity#Human_benefits * Salters-Nuffield Advanced Biology for Edexcel AS Biology student book, ISBN: 978-1-4058-9607-8 * Habitat Conservation Planning, ISBN: 978-0292708068 * Waterfowl Ecology and Management, ISBN: 978-0471597704 * Notes from the visit to London Wetland centre Validity of sources: The sources above provide general information about Laysan ducks, habitats, conservation of species and environmental implication. The information is supported by authorities. The websites are all working and reliable. ?? ?? ?? ?? Bryan Pascual ...read more.

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