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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1976
APART FROM BEING RICH IN PLANTS AND TREES, THE PROPOSED PARK IS ALSO NOTED FOR TWO SPECIES OF WILDLIFE, THE ELACK-EARED KITE AND THE LONG-TAILED MACAQUE (A SPECIES OF MONKEY).
THE FORMER IS A MIGRATORY BIRD WHICH IS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED IN ASIA AND AUSTRALIA.
ALTHOUGH AS MANY AS 2,000 BIRDS MAY BE PRESENT IN THE WINTER MONTHS, MANY OF THEM MOVE NORTH IN THE SPRING LEAVING ONLY SOME 200 TO SPEND THE SUMMER HERE. THE BLACK-EARED KITE IS A SCAVENGER, FEEDING ON OFFAL, CARRION, REFUSE AND DEAD FISH IN THE HARBOUR.
EAGLES NEST, A WELL-WOODED RIDGE IN THE PARK, IS ONE OF THE TWO POPULAR NESTING AREAS NEAR THE HARBOUR PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE TALL PINE TREES WHICH GROW THERE.
THE LONG-TAILED MACAQUES IN THIS AREA ARE DESCENDENTS OF MONKEYS RELEASED IN 1920. THEY EAT LEAVES, FRUITS, INSECTS AND SMALL ANIMALS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT THE AREA, LIKE ITS COUNTERPART IN SHING MUN, FACED PROBLEMS OF LITTER AND HILL FIRES.
+DURING THE LAST DRY SEASON, A NUMBER OF FIRES IN THE VICINITY DESTROYED MANY ACRES OF VEGETATION, HE SAID.
+ IF THE AREA IS TO REMAIN GREEN, STEPS MUST BE TAKEN TO STOP ALL FIRES, HE EMPHASISED.
+BECAUSE FIRE PRESENTS SUCH A DANGER, THE SPOKESMAN SAID +THE LIGHTING OF FIRES FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER, EXCEPT IN AN +APPROVED BARBECUE SITE IS PROHIBITED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THIS REGULATION IS ONE WHICH MUST, AND WILL BE, ENFORCED.
IN PAST YEARS, GROUPS USED TO SET UP SPECIAL GARDENS BY POSITIONING THEIR OWN BENCHES AND CULTIVATING OR GROWING FLOWERS IN THE AREA, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THIS PROBLEM IS NOW BEING RESOLVED BY MAKING USE OF THE ENTHUSIASM AND ENERGIES OF THE MORNING WALKERS TO DEVELOP FACILITIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVED POLICIES AND PLANS FOR THE AREA.