Threatened and Endangered Wildlife of Midway Atoll

By Jennifer Bove

The Laysan duck (Anas laysanensis) was extinct from Midway until 2005 when 42 ducks were reintroduced to the atoll from Laysan Island, the only other location where the ducks currently exist (they have been successfully bred in zoos). More than 200 ducks were thriving on Sand and Eastern Islands in 2008, a small number worldwide, but promising nonetheless. Laysan ducks are more inclined to walk or run than fly, and they exhibit a unique feeding behavior by running along mudflats to catch brine-flies from the air. Because of their prevalence on shorelines, the ducks are vulnerable to entanglement in marine debris that washes up Midway's beaches. Listing Status: Critically Endangered

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• Threatened and Endangered Wildlife of Midway Atoll
• Laysan Albatross
• Laysan Duck
• Green Sea Turtle
• Hawaiian Monk Seal
• Spinner Dolphin

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