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PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
In the third part of the question, Mr. SUEN asks whether the Department has other more humane ways to deal with those animals which we do not wish to breed.
The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens have all along endeavoured to provide a comfortable and close-to-natural environment for the animals kept so that they may live and breed freely in the cages. The work of the Gardens has been quite successful in this respect. Most of the animals have bred successfully in the Gardens and their youngs are loaned to other zoos for keeping and breeding purpose under the International Breeding Loan Programme.
With regard to the two jaguar habitants, the reason for their temporary separation has been explained in the above. After seeking the advice of the Consultant Curator and re-assessing the health condition of the female jaguar, the Department considers it appropriate to re-accommodate the two jaguar inhabitants in the same cage again so that they may live and mate freely. If new cubs are bred successfully by the jaguars, the Gardens will make appropriate arrangements for them.
MR. DANIEL TO BOON-MAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, since the Department has in place family planning for animals, I have the following supplementary questions. What is the age difference between the male and female jaguars? What is a female jaguar's most suitable age for breeding? Furthermore, it is stated in the written reply that a new cage will be arranged for this pair of jaguars. In the context of modern zoo management, cage confinement is no longer in vogue. More space should be given and the open mode should be adopted in which there is segregation between visitors and animals. Will the Chairman of the Select Committee consider adopting this mode for the new cage?
MR. RONNIE WONG Man-chiu (in Cantonese):—I don't have information on the age difference between the male and female jaguars. As for Mr. To's idea of a non-cage mode, Hong Kong's environmental condition is rather peculiar as land is scarce and expensive with a large population. Nevertheless, both the Department and the Council have done a lot in keeping this kind of animal. I think Mr. To too is aware that the jaguar cage was renovated at a cost of millions of dollars a few years ago to turn the living environment into one as close to the nature as possible. I believe that in the short term, it is impossible to materialize Mr. To's idea. Our only hope rests with the area under the Regional Council. The idea might be implemented there because there is more land.
MR. SUEN KAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese):—I wish to ask Mr. Ronnie WONG whether there are any animals in the Council's zoological and botanical gardens which are prevented from breeding because they have not met the five-point breeding policy he mentioned just now.
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