Breeding numbers of the marbled teal, officially Europe’s most endangered duck, have nearly quadrupled since 2021 after a major wetland restoration programme in Spain. The LIFE Marbled Teal project, backed by €6.37 million in funding, has restored more than 3,600 hectares of habitat across Murcia, Andalucia and the Valencian Community.

A total of 172 breeding females with chicks have been recorded in the wild, the highest figure in two decades. The species has also returned to parts of the Region of Murcia after a 15-year absence, with new breeding sites confirmed in other restored wetlands in southern and eastern Spain.

Conservation work has included improved water management, the restoration of degraded wetlands and the creation of safer nesting areas. In places such as El Hondo Natural Park and along the Guadalquivir river system, projects have created refuge zones to help the birds cope with increasingly frequent dry periods.

More than 3,700 captive-bred marbled teals have also been released in Spain and other parts of southern Europe. While experts warn the recovery remains fragile due to habitat loss, pollution and other pressures, conservation groups say the overall trend offers cautious optimism for the species’ future.