Jungle Boogie

It’s a jungle out there. Not to the untrained eye, perhaps, but Hong Kong’s urban areas are surprisingly rich with animal and plant life, proof that nature can still thrive in a seemingly hostile urban environment. Some—such as the sulphur-crested cockatoo and the rhesus macaques—were introduced to our city by humans, and have been forced to survive in an unfamiliar environment. Others—such as the civet cat and the wild boar—were here first, and have had to adapt to our intrusions in order to live.

Then there are the organisms that have clung tenaciously to life despite the odds. Where else but Hong Kong will you find banyans growing on vertical stonewalls, or short-nosed fruit bats, that in spite of the glare of street lights and the noise of the traffic, emerge from their homes in roadside palms to search for fruits in the trees around Central? There’s a lot to see out there, and with a little concentration—and some luck—anyone can conduct their own nature walk right in the heart of the city.

Furry Critters

Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta)

The 2,100 or so monkeys that occupy the country parks around Kowloon and Sha Tin (and most at Monkey Hill in Sha Tin) were first released into the wild in 1910, after the completion of the Kowloon Reservoir. They were released to consume the stychnos plants found in the area, which are part of the macaques’ natural diet but are poisonous to livestock and humans and threatened to contaminate the reservoir. The monkeys have since flourished, and have unfortunately acquired a taste for human food. They often enter into urban areas to forage, and the bolder among them will snatch shopping bags from passersby. In fact, they have become such a nuisance that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) recieved 752 monkey-related complaints in 2008. They advise walkers not to feed them, as only subordinate animals offer food. If you see macaques in urban areas, scare them away by wielding a broom or making loud noises, before reporting the sighting to the AFCD by calling their hotline: 1823.

Masked Palm Civet (Paguma larvata)

Also known as “the Beast of Hong Kong Park” by nervy gweipos, civet cats are one of the larger mammals that can be found on Hong Kong Island, and are protected by the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance. “If you live or work near Hong Kong Park, you might be able to see a civet cat at around dusk,” says Michael Lee, conservation officer with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). These nocturnal mammals are good hunters and usually prey on rats and insects, and when threatened will secrete an unpleasant-smelling fluid to dissuade predators.

Wild Boar (Sus scrofa)

With 347 sightings reported to the AFCD in 2008, adult wild boars can be a formidable sight. Males have large tusks they use to forage for food, which includes roots, fruit, seeds, earthworms, grubs or small bugs. When threatened, they use their tusks to attack their enemies. Located in Tai Po, Shing Mun, Sai Kung and Northern District, they often wander into urban areas, and seem to have a knack for getting their heads stuck in railings (there were over 10 reported incidents last year). If you see one, stay calm and don’t provoke it—a charging 250-kilogram boar is not something you want to contend with. If you’re being threatened by a boar, call 999, but if it does not present an immediate threat, call the AFCD on 1823. The department deploys volunteer boar hunting teams to keep the population under control and prevent danger to human life.

Pallas’s Squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus)

This little gray, bushy-tailed critter is pretty common on Hong Kong Island, especially around the Botanical Gardens, up the Peak and in Tai Tam Country Park. It mainly feeds on figs and seeds, and it is one of the few smaller mammals that can be seen during the day.

Airborne Animals

Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea)

Although this yellow-crowned bird is critically endangered in its native habitat due to habitat destruction and demand from the pet trade, Hong Kong’s own cockatoo population has, oddly enough, managed to thrive and is now one of the largest populations in the world. It’s most often seen on Hong Kong Island, especially in the Central and Western district, and up around the Peak. They were introduced to Hong Kong after being released from cages. Legend has it that Governor Sir Mark Aitchison Young released them from the aviary at government house after Hong Kong surrendered to the Japanese during World War II. It’s currently estimated that there are around 100 cockatoos in Hong Kong.

Common Koel (Eudynamis scolopacea)

The Common Koel belongs to the cuckoo family, a species of bird notorious for laying its eggs in the nests of other birds such as crows so as to avoid having to raise their own chicks. “They have a very loud call, and will sing both day and night during mating season in the spring. They are very common in parks and gardens, and in any large patch of trees in urban areas,” says Dr. Billy Hau, professor of Ecology and Biodiversity at the University of Hong Kong. Common Koels feed mostly on fruit and grow to about 45 centimeters in length.

Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus sphinx)

Out of the 26 bat species found in Hong Kong, the short-nosed fruit bat is the one that’s most commonly found in urban areas. The male builds a tent-like nest in the fronds of the Chinese Fan Palm, a common ornamental tree, and during mating season, a male will share his tent with several females in exchange for exclusive mating rights. With a wingspan of around 45 centimeters, the short-nosed fruit bat can eat its body weight in fruit in one sitting.

Cold Blooded Beasts

Bowring’s Gecko (Hemidactylus bowringii)

“This is a very common small reptile found in households, especially in estates near hillsides and woods,” say Hau. “They can climb on the walls and ceilings and they scare many females.” Bowring’s Gecko can grow up to 14 centimeters in length, and feed on cockroaches, small moths and mosquitoes. This gecko is also capable of changing color, depending on the color and temperature of the surface it’s on.

Red-Eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Originally from the swamps of the southern United States, these terrapins are usually bought in Mong Kok pet shops and subsequently abandoned in reservoirs or local parks. Red-Eared Sliders are cute when they’re small, but when they grow to the size of a dinner plate? Not so much. “Red-Eared Sliders are highly aggressive and territorial,” says Lee. “It’s very bad for the local ecology to release these non-native species. If the Red-Eared Slider population continues to flourish, it could pose a threat to native tortoises, such as the more docile Reeve’s Terrapin (Chinemys reevesii).”

Champion Plants

Banyan Trees (Ficus microcarpa)

These tough, hardy trees are found all over the city, and have a knack for surviving even the most ham-fisted human interference. “Their canopies serve as a habitat for many urban birds, and their fruit is a major source of food for birds and bats,” says Hau. You can find impressive examples of banyans on Supreme Court Road by the entrance of Hong Kong Park, or ones that are over 100 years old on Wong Nai Chung Road in Wan Chai. You can also spot them in the King George V Memorial Park in Western.

Incense Trees (Aquilaria sinensis)

Native to Hong Kong, incense trees are commonly found on the outskirts of villages in the New Territories. “Their fragrant wood was once used as a raw material for incense, but these days a more lucrative practice is to fell or cut into the tree in order to cultivate a fungal infection. As an immune response, the tree then releases its resin, which is then harvested as a valuable Chinese medicine known as ‘chen xiang,’” says Michael Lee, conservation officer with the WWF. Because of over-exploitation in mainland China, incense trees are listed as “vulnerable” on the IUCN red list, but due to careful preservation and legislation protecting this species, Hong Kong’s incense tree population is one of the healthiest in the world.

Buddha Pines (Podocarpus macrophyllus)

While they’re not commonly found in urban areas, favoring remoter climates such as Po Toi island and Sai Kung Country Park, Buddha Pines still merit a mention due to their huge popularity with mainland tree snatchers. “Because they are thought to bring good luck the plants are very valuable, and can be sold for a lot of profit on the mainland,” says Lee. Indeed, larger pines can sell for up to $150,000, making it a lucrative trade. “The tree fellers are usually illegal immigrants who live rough in the countryside, scoping the area. They then pinpoint where the pines can be found and return to the mainland, whereupon another team of tree fellers will enter Hong Kong and snatch the trees,” he adds.

Chinese Fan Palms (Livistona chinensis)

With long, drooping leaves that taper into ribbon-like segments, Chinese Fan Palms are commonly found in parks, gardens and along the roadside. “What makes them interesting is that their leaves are used as homes for roosting fruit bats,” says Hau. The ACFD estimates that around six percent of Chinese Fan Palms are homes for short-nosed fruit bats, so next time you see one, take a peek under its canopy to try and catch the bats sleeping inside, waiting for night to fall.

Also see: Wonder Walls