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THE ENVIRONMENT
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Terrestrial Fauna
The physical and climatic environment of Hong Kong provides woody and grassy habitats for a wide variety of native animal and plant life. Under the pressure of urbanisation, larger animal species are rarely seen, but reptiles and amphibians, birds and many kinds of insects are common.
Most of Hong Kong's countryside is protected by the Forests and Countryside Ordinance, the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance, the Country Parks Ordinance, and the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance.
One of the most important sites in Hong Kong for wildlife is the Mai Po Marshes. A restricted area under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance and managed jointly by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department and the World Wide Fund for Nature (Hong Kong), it is an internationally significant site for migratory and resident birdlife. Its 380 hectares of mudflats, shrimp ponds and dwarf mangroves provide a rich habitat, particularly for ducks and waders. More than 250 species of birds have been observed in this area, and at least 110 of them are rarely seen elsewhere in the territory. Yim Tso Ha, also a restricted area, is the largest egretry in Hong Kong. Five species, the Chinese pond heron, night heron, cattle egret, little egret, great egret and occasionally the rare Swinhoe's egret as well, nest there regularly. Hundreds of egrets can be found there between April and September, the nesting season. Egretries are also found at Mai Po Village, A Chau, Jim Uk, Tsim Bei Tsui, Lok Ma Chau, Ho Pui Tsuen and Tai Po Market.
Although traditional fung shui woods near the old villages and temples are increasingly affected by development, they continue to provide an important habitat for many birds. Sightings in wooded areas include an assortment of warblers, flycatchers and robins.
Areas around the Kowloon reservoirs are inhabited by monkeys that originated either from those which had been released or had escaped from captivity. There are breeding groups of both long-tailed macaques and rhesus monkeys. Smaller mammals are common, with the woodland shrew, house shrew and bats being numerous in some rural areas. The Chinese porcupine, with its strikingly-coloured black and white quills, is still present in parts of the New Territories and Hong Kong Island.
Occasional reports are still received of sightings of less common species such as the leopard cat, civet cat, ferret badger, pangolin and barking deer. However, the increasing obtrusion of human activity into the countryside means an uncertain future for these species. There are wild boars in some remote areas, occasionally causing damage to farm crops.
Snakes, lizards and frogs are plentiful in Hong Kong. There are also various species of terrapins and turtles. Most of the local snakes are not poisonous and death from snakebite is rare. The poisonous land snakes are: the banded krait, with black and yellow bands; the many-banded krait, with black and white bands; Macclelland's coral snake, which is coral red with narrow, black transverse bars; the Chinese cobra and the hamadryad or king cobra, both of which are hooded; the rare mountain pit viper; the red-necked keelback with a red patch on the neck; and the white-lipped pit viper or bamboo snake. The bamboo snake is bright green and less venomous than others, but it is not easily seen and strikes readily if approached. The king cobra, kraits and corals prey almost exclusively on other snakes.
Several species of sea snakes, all of which are venomous, are to be found in Hong Kong waters. However, they have never been known to attack bathers. Two amphibians of