Hong Kong is blessed by a diversity of extraordinary animals: iconic Chinese white dolphins, sometimes pink; elusive pangolins, threatened by evil smugglers; mischievous macaques; unique amphibians such as Romer’s tree frog; porcupines, just as elusive as pangolins — fifty years in Hong Kong and I’ve never seen one; wild boar — these delightful creatures are prolific in Sai Kung, often we’ve seen Mum, Dad and the three little piggies; bats galore — drive up the hill road past the big aerial and have a look in the abandoned ancient houses; horseshoe crabs which sensitive people hate to see bound so they can’t move ready for eating on the Sai Kung waterfront; leopard cat — nope, never seen one; civet cat — ditto; snakes — as a member of the Hash House Harriers I’ve seen countless slithering nasties, once notably on the Aberdeen catchment only a few feet in front of me, reared up, fangs bared, ready to bite– it didn’t want to (Hong Kong has no aggressive snakes) it was just warning me; and warty newt, which describes one of my friends.
OUR EXTRAORDINARY ANIMALS, BRIEFLY:
Chinese White Dolphin
A beloved symbol of Hong Kong marine life, the white dolphin was threatened by CLK’s development, but has changed its habitat mostly near Lantau island. Government efforts to protect these admirable creatures, a threatened species, are described memorably by Clinton Leeks in the book, “Tales From a Barren Rock”.
Pangolin
These rare animals are threatened by cruel evil wildlife smugglers because their scales are considered an aphrodisiac by deluded people.
Macaques
These mischievous characters are found around Kowloon reservoir. They are cheeky and may suddenly rush you aiming to scare you into dropping your bag, which they hope has food. At the reservoir they have been seen in numbers great enough to be described as an army, which can be alarming. The Government controls their numbers by de-sexing.
Romer’s Tree Frog
John Dudley Romer, an amateur naturalist, discovered this creature in a cave on Lamma Island in the 1950s. The tree frog has become a symbol of Hong Kong’s unique biodiversity.
Porcupines
An active Hash House Harrier, I have never seen one. Only its black and white quills. Porcupines are commonly found in country parks. They don’t shoot their quills, but if threatened they back into the perceived enemy to embed the quills.
Wild Boar
Twenty-seven years in Sai Kung, we’ve seen them countless times. They’re scared of humans so no danger. BUZZ editors deplore the government programme that has strutting, gun-toting, brain-dead clowns going out into the bush to shoot them ( not the clowns unfortunately, the pigs).
Bats
Twenty-six species have been identified in Hong Kong. They are protected by law. The most common bats are the short-nosed fruit bat — it has large eyes and is also known as the dog-faced fruit bat — and the Japanese pipistrelle — often seen in urban areas roosting in eaves and attics — and the Leschenault’s rousette — a fruit-eating species that is one of HK’s largest bats.
Horseshoe crabs
The Chinese horseshoe crab and the mangrove horseshoe crab are critically endangered, due to habitat loss and human exploitation as food. Conservation groups such as WWF and Ocean Park have sought to re-establish their habitats.
Leopard Cat
Native to Hong Kong, this is a secretive creature, similar in size to a domestic cat, but with distinct spots and white markings. They thrive in country parks and have a nocturnal, shy nature.
Civet Cat
Like the leopard cat, these animals are shy and nocturnal. They are omnivores, related to mongooses, have distinctive facial masks and are common in HK forests.
Snakes
Call me a wimp and I’ll plead guilty. They scare me. The biggest ones are Burmese pythons, close to 20ft. They have often been found in Sai Kung, even in urban areas. The police send snake catchers to grab them behind the head and by the tail, stuff them in bags, then take them deep into a country park and release them. They have beautifully patterned skin and are protected by law. SAI KUNG BUZZ has written about snakes many times during our decade of publication, most notably after interviewing snake catcher Dave Willott. He told us no snake scares him, because he knows what they will do before they do it, with one exception: the king cobra. Dave said he never knows what this big snake, perhaps 12ft, will do. When threatened, the king cobra will rise up (three to four feet tall) flatten its neck to form a large hood and hiss loudly, while moving forward to intimidate. They prefer to scare threats away, but can strike with astonishing speed, delivering potent neurotoxic venom. King cobras can be identified by slight rings on their bodies, which the more common Chinese cobras do not have. The latter, so dark grey it is almost black, is frequently seen in Sai Kung villages because they like hanging around houses catching rats and mice.
Warty Newt
A species of salamander, endemic and unique to Hong Kong. Up to 15cm, its body colour ranges from light to dark brown, with orange markings. It is also a protected species.
Apropos quote: “You can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.”
Photos: Mainly AFCD, Sai Kung Buzz, Kadoorie Farm or social media
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