20
Natural History
It is easy for a visitor to miss the delights of Hong Kong's country- side, so overpowering is the impact of its city life. Even residents can forget, under the pressure of their daily lives, that on their doorsteps lie peaceful farming areas, empty hills or quiet woodland walks. On Hong Kong Island a drive of 30 minutes is sufficient to reach the catchment area of the Tai Tam Reservoir, where there are many miles of interesting paths. Here, as in the much wider area of the New Territories which are within easy reach of Kowloon, there is a surprising abundance of wild life when one considers the encroachments of urbanization.
WILD LIFE
While certain species of wild mammals were formerly either rare residents or merely occasional visitors from across the Colony's borders, and no longer occur, several which remain today are seriously threatened by Hong Kong's rapid post-war development and population increase. Those which will probably never be found again in the Colony are the Dhole or Indian Wild Dog, Large Chinese Civet, Crab-eating Mongoose, Leopard, and South China Tiger. Although, for several weeks during the summer of 1965, there were reports of a tiger in the New Territories, repeated patrols by police and the use of live tethered bait by the army failed to locate any large feline. Species now rarely seen include the South China Red Fox, Chinese Pangolin or Scaly Anteater, Eastern Chinese Otter, Chinese Leopard Cat, and Wild Boar. Rhesus Monkeys are still found in the vicinity of Kowloon Reservoir in the New Territories, but those which inhabited woods in the Tai Tam area of Hong Kong Island are not known to have been seen during 1965.
The Barking Deer (Reeves' Muntjac) is not uncommon in the wooded hillsides on Hong Kong Island. Being largely nocturnal it is seldom seen, although its characteristic bark is familiar to
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