Visitors to the National Wetlands Centre Wales on Wednesday will have a birds-eye view of some of the rarest wildfowl in the world.

Staff at Penclacwydd near Llanelli will take people behind the scenes to visit the centre's hatchery and duckery for the first time.

Many of the species to be seen here are under threat in the wild

Grounds manager Richard Edwards

People will be able to hear ducklings calling from inside their eggs or tapping on the shell to crack it open.

The centre wants to raise awareness of the number of species of wildfowl under threat around the world.

Newly hatched ducklings will be seen and visitors will be able to look inside an egg using a simple technique.

Richard Edwards, the grounds manager explained: "We do this by candling - shining a bright light on the egg - so that the developing chick can be seen.

"Many of the species to be seen here are under threat in the wild."

These include six pairs of the Whitewinged Duck which is the rarest in the world.

The centre is raising awareness of birds under threat

Only 200 hundred pairs exist in the wild in Sumatra and Burma.

The centre is also home to the Nene - the rarest goose in the world. There are more than 50 at the centre.

At one stage this species contracted to just 30 birds.

Although it is now up to around 70,000 in its native Hawaii, it is still under threat.

Centre manager Dr Jeff Profitt said: "This is the first time for people to have a proper look behind the scenes.

"We want to send the public away with an understanding of how complex the operation is here.

"There is a lot more going on than is visible to the visitor.

"Our influence is not restricted to Llanelli but our activities here have an affect right round the world."

The National Wetlands Centre Wales is one of nine centres in Britain and Ireland run by The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT).