FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1985
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SEIZED ENDANGERED BIRDS SET FREE
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TWENTY-FOUR BIRDS OF DIFFERENT ENDANGERED SPECIES WERE SET FREE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WOODS BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHER JES DEPARTMENT THIS AFTERNOON.
MOST OF THE BIRDS - 22 KESTRELS,
22 KESTRELS, AN OWL AND A VULTURE
HAD BEEN SEIZED BY CUSTOMS OFFICERS AT ENTRY POINTS AT THE BORDER FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS RETURNING FROM CHINA DURING THE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS.
FIVE PANGOLINS AND FOUR LEOPARD CATS HAD ALSO BEEN SEIZED DURING THE SAME PERIOD AT THE BORDER, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID.
THE PANGOLINS HAD ALREADY BEEN RELEASED IN THE WILD, AND EFFORTS WOULD BE MADE TO FIND A NEW HOME FOR THE LEOPARD CATS, HE SAID.
THERE HAD BEEN REPEATED APPEALS TO PEOPLE LEAVING FOR THE HOLIDAYS NOT TO BRING IN ANY OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES, BUT THESE APPEALS HAD BEEN IGNORED, HE SAID.
LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 50 PERSONS HAD BEEN PROSECUTED FOR ILLEGAL IMPORTATION OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS BANNED BY LAW, HE SAID.
HONG KONG'S LAW ON THIS, GIVING EFFECT TO THE CONVENTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES), PROVIDES FOR A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5 000 ON CONVICTION FOR A FIRST OFFENCE, AND $10 000 FINE AND SIX MONTHS'* IMPRISONMENT FOR A SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT OFFENCE.
DRIVE TO KEEP PLACE CLEAN ***
A BUILDING MANAGEMENT SEMINAR HAS BEEN ORGANISED TO LAUNCH THE YAU MA TEI ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN.
THE CAMPAIGN, ORGANISED BY THE YAU MA TEI ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN ORGANISING COMMITTEE AIMS AT IMPROVING THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT IN THE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS ENCOURAGING MORE INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION BY RESIDENTS IN KEEPING THE ENVIRONMENT CLEAN.
THE DISTRICT OFFICER MR BOWEN LEUNG AND MR LAI SZE-NUEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE YAU MA TEI ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE, WILL OFFICIATE AT THE CEREMONY.
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