Range Description

Anas eatoni has two island subspecies in the southern Indian Ocean: nominate eatoni is confined to the Kerguelen Islands and drygalskyi to the Crozet Islands, both French Southern Territories. On Kerguelen, it occurs only around the coast, less than 20% of the total area⁷. In the 1950s and 1960s, eatoni was introduced to Amsterdam Island (also part of the French Southern Territories), but has not been seen there since 1970⁶ and is assumed to have been extirpated. In 1980-1982, the population was estimated at 600-700 pairs on Crozet and, in 1982-1985, at 15,000-20,000 pairs on Kerguelen⁵, but could now be considerably less. Although there is no information on trend, a rapid decline may already be well advanced³.