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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1987
ENDANGERED ANIMALS AND BIRD SET FREE
THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TODAY (TUESDAY) RELEASED THREE ENDANGERED ANIMALS AND A RARE BIRD IN THE REMOTE PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THESE SPECIES, PROTECTED UNDER THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES) ORDINANCE, INCLUDE THREE PANGOLINS AND A SHORT-EARED OWL. THEY WERE SEIZED TOGETHER WITH ONE DEAD OWL AND 12 LIVE GIANT SALAMANDERS BY THE POLICE AT AN ENTRY POINT ON THE BORDER ON SUNDAY DURING A ROUTINE OPERATION,
THE GIANT SALAMANDERS, NOW IN THE DEPARTMENT'S CUSTODY, WILL BE SENT BACK TO THE CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES IN CHINA A9 300N AS ARRANGEMENTS ARE FINALISED.
THE DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR CONSERVATION OFFICER, MR M. K. CHRUNG, REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT IT IS AN OFFENCE ΤΟ POSSESS, IMPORT OR EXPORT ENDANGERED SPECIES OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS WITHOUT PRIOR AUTHORISATION OF THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES.
"FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW MAY LEAD TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5,000 ON CONVICTION FOR THE FIRST OFFENCE, AND $10,000 AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT FOR A REPEATED OFFENCE,' HE WARNED.
M
SO FAR THIS YEAR, MR CHEUNG SAID, SOME 320 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED FOR VIOLATING THE ORDINANCE. MENY OF THE CASES CONCERNED THE ILLEGAL IMPORTATIONS OF OWLS, KESTRELS, PARROTS, PANGOLINS, GIANT SALAMANDERS, AND STUFFED SPECIMENS OF SEA TURTLES AND CROCODILES.
FINES TOTALLING $154,200 HAVE BEEN IMPOSED AND, IN ALL CASES, THE ENDANGERED SPECIES HAVE BEEN CONFISCATED, HE ADDED.
ROYAL OBSERVATORY CALENDAR HAS MEDIA THEME
"METEOROLOGY AND THE MEDIA
IS THE THEME OF THE ROYAL OBERVATORY'S WALL CALENDAR FOR 1988 то SHOW APPRECIATION OF THE MEDIA'S EXCELLENT WORK IN HELPING TO PROVIDE ACCURATE WEATHER INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.
THE BILINGUAL CALENDAR, ON SALE NOW AT $32 A COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT THE GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING IN CENTRAL, CONTAINS BASIC INFORMATION ON CLIMATOLOGY, ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS AND TIDES, AS WELL AS USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR WEATHER AND OTHER GEOPHYSICAL INFORMATION.
/ALSO INCLUDED