Madagascar Heron
Encyclopedia
Humblot's Heron also known as the Madagascar Heron, is a species
of heron
. In Madagascar
, it is common to the north and west coasts as well as Lake Alaotra
, but also inhabits the Comoro Islands
and Mayotte
.
Humblot's Heron is an endangered species
, with a population estimated between 1,000 and 3,000. Its population is apparently declining. The major threats the heron faces are hunting (both the bird itself and its eggs) and habitat destruction (the cutting of nesting trees and the disappearance of wetlands.)
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
. In Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, it is common to the north and west coasts as well as Lake Alaotra
Lake Alaotra
Lake Alaotra is the largest lake in Madagascar, located in Toamasina Province, in the northern central plateau. Its basin is composed of shallow freshwater lakes and marshes surrounded by areas of dense vegetation. It forms the center of the island's most important rice-growing region...
, but also inhabits the Comoro Islands
Comoro Islands
The Comoros Islands form an archipelago of volcanic islands situated off the south-east coast of Africa, to the east of Mozambique and north-west of Madagascar. They are divided between the sovereign state of Comoros and the French overseas department of Mayotte...
and Mayotte
Mayotte
Mayotte is an overseas department and region of France consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre , a smaller island, Petite-Terre , and several islets around these two. The archipelago is located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, namely between northwestern Madagascar and...
.
Humblot's Heron is an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, with a population estimated between 1,000 and 3,000. Its population is apparently declining. The major threats the heron faces are hunting (both the bird itself and its eggs) and habitat destruction (the cutting of nesting trees and the disappearance of wetlands.)