Having recently returned from a holiday in Hong Kong and Japan, may I take this opportunity to congratulate the people of the Hong Kong Dolphinwatch for their wonderful and untiring efforts to bring to the notice of us all the need to defend and protect the famous pink dolphins in the waters off Lantau.
The boat pilot was clearly very knowledgeable and patient in his search for the most likely sightings and whilst a boarding visit from two high-speed Hong Kong police launches added to the excitement, it was hardly conducive to the search for these beautiful creatures, though it must be said that the officers were very friendly and courteous to all on board. We would thoroughly recommend the trip to any tourists to Hong Kong (and indeed to SAR residents), as a lovely and informative way to spend a few hours.
But, oh, dear, what on earth are the Hong Kong authorities doing about the revolting dumping of untreated raw sewage into these waters, slowly but surely destroying the habitat of these creatures and most other marine life? It certainly cannot be reassuring either to the many seafood restaurants which serve the seafood gathered in the area.
Hong Kong should get its act together and deal with such serious ecological problems and seek to lead the world in true marine protection. It was bad enough building the airport so close to the area, but while the dolphins seem to have survived that particular onslaught, they surely will not survive the poisoning of their habitat if it continues unabated.
DAVID WALKER
