ENG-1977 — Page 273

i

20

SEDIH

店

вет

Natural History

I

DESPITE the rapid spread of urbanisation in recent years, Hong Kong still has a large area of countryside in which the public can enjoy an interesting range of wildlife and plants.

To safeguard this natural asset, the greater part of the countryside is under one or another protection order, such as the Forests and Countryside Ordinance, the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance and the Country Parks Ordinance. New regulations under the Country Parks Ordinance were drawn up and enacted during 1977 to generally provide for the management and control of country parks and special areas. These include specifically the prohibition of hunting and damage to vegetation.

During the year, the list of species, or parts and derivatives of species contained in the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance was amended to bring Hong Kong into line with the 1976 Conference of Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Wildlife

Egrets continue to nest at Yim Tso Ha, which is a restricted area under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance. This is the largest egretry in Hong Kong and five species - Chinese Pond Heron, Night Heron, Cattle and Little Egrets, and the rare Swinhoe's Egret - nest there regularly. About 1,000 egrets can be found in the egretry during the nesting season between April and September, but only people with permits are allowed access. Several other egretries exist in the New Territories, but they are not used by Swinhoe's Egret or Night Heron.

1

The Mai Po Marshes, also restricted, are the main attraction for birdwatchers in Hong Kong. The hectares of mudflats, shrimp ponds and mangrove form a very rich habitat, particularly for ducks and waders. Three of the species recently added to the list of birds seen in Hong Kong - European Spoonbill, Long-tailed Skua and Chestnut- cheeked Starling were recorded there.

Of the larger indigenous mammals, the Chinese Pangolin (Scaly Anteater) is seen occasionally. It grows to a length of about one metre and is protected by horny scales. Areas around the Kowloon reservoirs are inhabited by monkeys that originated from specimens either released or escaped from captivity, and they emerge from the trees to be fed by visitors. There are now small breeding groups of both Long-tailed Macaques and Rhesus monkeys.

Smaller mammals are common, with the Grey Shrew and the House Shrew being numerous in some rural areas. The Chinese Porcupine, with its strikingly-coloured