West Indian whistling-duck  (Dendrocygna arborea)

This large duck is threatened by poorly regulated and excessive hunting for food, eggs and sport (2). It depends on wetland habitats for food sources, protection and breeding, and so has suffered serious population losses following the rapid development of coastal areas in the Caribbean for development and agriculture (5). Of the remaining wetland habitats, 50% are severely degraded due the removal of mangroves and swamp-forest, pollution (especially over-use of pesticides) and natural catastrophes such as droughts and hurricanes (2). The populations of the West Indian whistling-duck are now small and fragmented (2).

The listing of this species on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) legally protects it throughout much of its range (3)(4). However, law enforcement is inadequate. To improve conservation measures, in 1997 The West Indian Whistling-duck Working Group was set up. At present this vulnerable duck does exist in several protected areas, but it is thought that suitable habitat for it is insufficient (2). Conservation aims are now focussing on conducting extensive population and habitat surveys, monitoring current populations, enforcing better protection and increasing public awareness of this species’ fragile status (5).