ENG-1982 — Page 324

NATURAL HISTORY

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Protection Ordinance and special culling exercises have been organised by the Royal Hong Kong Police Force to reduce their threat to crops.

Occasional reports are still received of sightings of less common species such as the Leopard Cat and Barking Deer. However, the increasing presence of people in the countryside means an uncertain future for these larger species.

Snakes, lizards and frogs are plentiful in Hong Kong. Also, there are various species of terrapins and turtles, although none is common. Most of the local snakes are non-poisonous and death from snake bite is a very rare occurrence. The venomous land snakes are: the Banded Krait, with black and yellow bands; the Many-banded Krait, with black and white bands; Macclelland's Coral Snake, which is coral red with narrow, black transverse bars; the Chinese Cobra and the Hamadryad or King Cobra both of which are hooded; the rare Mountain Pit Viper; the Red-necked Keelback with vermilion neck; and the White-lipped Pit Viper or Bamboo Snake. The Bamboo Snake is bright green and less venomous than others, but it is not easily seen and strikes readily if closely approached. The Hamadryad, Kraits and Corals prey almost exclusively on other snakes.

Several species of sea snakes - all venomous - are found in Hong Kong waters, but they have never been known to attack bathers. An amphibian of special interest is the Hong Kong Newt, which has not been recorded elsewhere in the region.

There are more than 200 recorded species and forms of colourful butterflies, several of which, in their larval forms, cause considerable damage to farmers' crops. These include the two commonly-found species of Cabbage Whites, the Swallowtails, and the beautiful but less common, Small Blue. All are described and illustrated in the first major reference work on local butterflies This is Hong Kong: Butterflies by G. and B. Johnston (Hong Kong Government Printer). Among the many local moths are the giant silk worm moths, including the Cynthia, the Fawn, Golden Emperor, the Atlas and Moon moths. The Atlas has an average wing span of 23 centimetres and the Moon, 18 centimetres.

Of the local plant bugs, two are especially noted for their colour and shape. They are the rare and beautifully-spotted Tea Bug, which has been recorded only on hill-tops, and the Lantern Fly, which has delicately-coloured wings and a remarkably long forehead. Dragon and damsel flies are common, as are wasps and metallic-coloured beetles. Of particular interest is the giant Red-spotted Longhorn beetle which feeds on Mountain Tallow and Wood-oil trees. Many other species of longhorn beetles infest living or weakened trees including citrus and pine. Most of these and many other insects are listed in the new Check List of Agricultural Insects of Hong Kong 1981 (Agriculture and Fisheries Department Bulletin No. 2, Hong Kong Government Printer).

Since its introduction to Hong Kong in 1938, the African Giant Snail has become a major pest in vegetable crops and gardens. Farmers are also troubled by several slugs. One of these, Veronicella, is a large, black slug sufficiently different from the other slugs to be placed in a separate family.

Aquatic Life

Marine life forms in Hong Kong are diverse and mainly tropical in character. They include a large number of commercially important species of fish, crustacea and molluscs. The types and quantities of fish prevalent fluctuate according to seasonal influences and also vary according to the area. The waters of Hong Kong can be broadly divided into a western sector, influenced by the Zhu Jiang (Pearl) River and predominately brackish, and an eastern sector, subject to the influences of the open sea. Various locations provide natural