The last marbled teal from this wetland dies in the dunes of the Sahara, on its migratory journey southwards. At that time just thirty pairs of marbled teals were still surviving in the whole of Europe. That is why the little masked duck has become the waterbird most in danger of extinction. Thus, begins the dramatic tale of Patches, the very last of her kind, as she sets out on her adventures. At stake is the survival of a species unique in the universe.