MAURITIAN SHELDUCK

The 'Mauritian Shelduck' (''Alopochen mauritianus'') is an extinct species of goose from Mauritius. It was a close relative of the Egyptian Goose. Known from one or two subfossil carpometacarpus bones and a few descriptions, this bird was about the size of a Brent Goose. Its appearance is unknown, except that its wings showed the typical color pattern of shelducks. Initially, it was believed to be a relative of the Comb Duck, but Andrews (1897) determined that the bones were a shelduck's. It is sometimes considered conspecific with the Malagasy Shelduck; in this case it would become the nominate subspecies, as ''Alopochen mauritianus mauritianus''.

Contents

Extinction

References

Extinction

Like its Réunion relative, the Mauritian Shelduck was rapidly hunted to extinction. Still reasonably plentiful in 1681, the population collapsed soon afterwards, and Leguat (1708) found "wild geese" to be "already rare" in 1693. In 1698, governor Deodati declared them to be extinct.

References

★ Andrews, C. W. (1897): On some fossil remains of Carinate birds from central Madagascar. ''Ibis'' '7'(3): 343-359.

★ Database entry includes justification for why this species is extinct.

★ Leguat, François (1708): ''Voyages et Avantures de François Leguat & de ses Compagnons, en Deux Isles Desertes des Indes Orientales, etc.'' '2': 71. Jean Louis de Lorme, Amsterdam. PDF fulltext available at Gallica: search for "Leguat"

★ Newton, Alfred & Gadow, Hans Friedrich (1893): On additional bones of the Dodo and other extinct birds of Mauritius obtained by Mr. Théodore Sauzier. ''Trans. Zool. Soc.'' '13': 281-302, plate 34: figures 9-10.