Isn’t wildlife lovely? Enjoy, because soon much of it will be gone

_{The Yellow-bellied Weasel (Mustela kathiah) – appears to prefer low-elevation hillsides in the northeastern New Territories, many of which are Country Park enclaves subject to disturbance and development threats}

Twenty-five per cent of Hong Kong wildlife faces extinction, the World Wildlife Fund says in a report published this month. Quoting research by experts, the WWF says of the 886 assessed species — mammals, birds, reptiles, freshwater fish, butterflies, dragonflies and crustaceans — 21 have already disappeared from the territory.

Among the assessed fauna, birds and freshwater fish are the groups most at risk, almost half facing local extinction. Species dependent on lowland habitats, such as marshes, rivers, farmland and other open habitats, are experiencing the most serious decline. Habitat loss, poaching and the spread of invasive species are the major drivers of decline. The WWF said conservation intervention is urgent.

_{Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) This globally EN species has become an
iconic wetland conservation symbol in Hong Kong and the region.}

(It is distressing to see the decline in our own gardens. Twenty-five years ago when we first moved into our rural Sai Kung village our flowers were visited almost every day by lots of bees and butterflies. Now we rarely see a single one. Re-wilding should be aggressively advanced across the territory and we include — deluge of brickbats expected — the golf courses, or at least parts of them. They take up far too much land. Another disturbing observation: Exercising on the Sai Kung waterfront and seeing not a single bird.)

The report (Hong Kong Territorial Biodiversity Hotspot Map 2025) highlights 27 critical biodiversity hotspots. These cover 6 per cent of Hong Kong’s land and are home to 95 per cent of at-risk species. Nearly 80 per cent has suffered from eco-vandalism and nearly 50 per cent overlap with planned development. “. . . Immediate conservation efforts at these vulnerable hotspots are needed to prevent further species extinction,” the World Wildlife Fund says.

_{Beale’s Eyed Turtle (Sacalia bealei) This species has a scattered distribution and decades of poaching have reduced the population to a handful of sites, with most subpopulations no longer viable.}

Dr Bosco Chan, Director at WWF: “We must invest in concrete plans to protect Hong Kong’s most threatened biodiversity and wildlife habitats before it is too late.”

Dr Yu Yat Tung of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society: “The loss of lowland wetlands and farmland, along with habitat changes, significantly impacts breeding and visiting birds.”

Dr Michael Lau, herpetologist: “Other than habitat loss, which impacts both reptiles and amphibians and has led to the extinction of the Chinese Floating Frog, all native turtles are facing risk of local extinction, and poaching is the most serious threat to their survival.”

_{Giant Spiny Frog (Quasipaa spinosa) The largest amphibian in Hong Kong; restricted to high-altitude streams in the central New Territories.}

Dr Alphonse Tsang of Lingnan University: “With the nearly half of the native freshwater fish species at risk of local extinction, threats such as channelisation and pollution and the invasion of non-native species, must be tackled.”

In a favourite book, The Poisonwood Bible, a lovable priest Dr Fowles, says, “See the flowers, see the birds — there’s your gospel.”