Madagascan pochard Madagascan pochard The Madagascan pochard or Madagascar pochard ("Aythya innotata"; ) is an extremely rare diving duck of the genus "Aythya". Thought to be extinct in the late 1990s, specimens of the species were rediscovered at Lake Matsaborimena in Madagascar in 2006. As of Fall 2017, the population is around 90 individuals. Based on the accounts written by Webb and Delacour's in the 1920s and 1930s it seemed that the bird was still relatively common at Lake Alaotra. The duck probably started to decline dramatically sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s. The cause of decline was the introduction
USS Pochard (AM-375) 15 January 1947. "Pochard" was berthed at San Diego, California, as a unit of the Pacific Reserve Fleet until recommissioned 27 February 1952. On 19 May she reported for duty with the Atlantic Fleet, at Charleston, South Carolina, whence she operated alternating U.S. East Coast and Caribbean cruises with Mediterranean deployments until 1955. Reclassified MSF-375, 7 February 1955, she was placed in reserve in June and decommissioned on 3 August. Assigned to the Florida Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet, she was berthed at Green Cove Springs, Florida until struck from the Navy List 1 December 1966 and sold for scrap. "Pochard"