Name the hedge trimmer

Acompetition will be held to come up with a name for the second Asian water buffalo at the Mai Po Nature Reserve. Green group WWF will accept submissions for their newest grass trimmer until August 24.

The six-year-old male entered the reserve on July 29. He joined Siu Mai, the park's resident water buffalo, a female from Sheung Shui which moved to the marshes in 2006.

The buffalo were introduced to attract more water birds to Hong Kong's largest haven for migratory birds. They can save the park some HK$40,000 a year in maintenance costs.

Common weed grass at the wetland can reach as tall as 2 metres, a height which keeps birds away.

Managers at the reserve had to cut the grass on a weekly basis. But the buffalo eat the grass, reducing managing costs and workloads.

'Most birds like the grass to be short,' says Bena Smith, a researcher with WWF, which manages the nature reserve.