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EGRETRY IN SHA TAU KOK
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1976
A FULL-COLOUR POSTER, IN CHINESE AND ENGLISH, HAS BEEN PUT UP BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT AT THE EGRETRY IN YIM TSO HA, SHA TAU KOK, TO GIVE VISITORS SOME BASIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE EGRETS IN THE AREA AND TO AROUSE MORE INTEREST IN NATURE CONSERVATION.
THE POSTER DEPICTS THE FOUR COMMONEST SPECIES IN THE EGRETRY THE CHINESE POND HERON, THE NIGHT HERON, THE CATTLE EGRET AND THE LITTLE EGRET. IT IS DESIGNED TO GIVE AN AMATEUR VISITOR A BASIC IDEA OF THE BIRDS' GENERAL APPEARANCE, THEIR FEEDING HABITS AND WORLD DISTRIBUTION.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THAT AN AVERAGE OF SOME 1,000 EGRETS CAN BE FOUND IN THE EGRETRY DURING THE NESTING SEASON WHICH IS BETWEEN APRIL AND SEPTEMBER EVERY YEAR.
THEY MIGRATE SOUTH DURING THE WINTER, HE ADDED.
+DURING THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND BIRDWATCHERS USUALLY GO NEAR THE EGRETRY TO GET A FIRST HAND LOOK AT THESE RARE AND BEAUTIFUL BIRDS IN THEIR HABITAT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID. +THE AREA IS ALSO FREQUENTLY VISITED BY PICNICKERS.+
HE POINTED OUT THAT EGRETS ARE A FULLY PROTECTED SPECIES UNDER THE WILD BIRDS AND WILD MAMMALS PROTECTION ORDINANCE AND THAT THE EGRETRY IN YIM TSO HA IS A RESTRICTED AREA UNDER THE SAME ORDINANCE.
+PICNICKERS CAN WALK AROUND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE EGRETRY AND WATCH THE BIRDS FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS, BUT ONLY PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL PERMITS ISSUED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WILL BE ALLOWED INSIDE THE RESTRICTED AREA,+ HE SAID.
ACCORDING TO GAME WARDENS PATROLLING THE AREA, THE NEW POSTER IS ALREADY AROUSING A LOT OF INTEREST IN EGRETS AMONG PICNICKERS.
THE SPOKESMAN RECALLED THAT SIMILAR POSTERS, GIVING DETAILS OF THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BLACK-EARED KITE, HAD BEEN DISPLAYED AT THE KOWLOON HILLS AND THE ABERDEEN RESERVOIR, AND HAD PROVED POPULAR.
+THESE POSTERS, TOGETHER WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NATURE TRAILS ALONG PINEAPPLE DAM, SHING MUN RESERVOIR AND THE DRAGON'S BACK, ARE PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S CONTINUING EFFORTS TO AROUSE MORE INTEREST IN NATURE CONSERVANCY AMONG THE PUBLIC,+ HE ADDED.
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