Illegal development at Hong Kong wetlands threatens bird life, activists say
The Hong Kong Birdwatching Society says dumping and pond-filling are leading to fewer birds coming to Hong Kong and even the disappearance of three species
Hong Kong’s bird life is being threatened by unauthorised development in sensitive wetland areas, yet the government is not doing enough to combat the trend, say bird watchers.
Illegal activities including dumping and pond-filling in rural areas has escalated in recent years but cases are rarely prosecuted, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society.
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It says such practices are destroying wetlands and decreasing biodiversity, causing the peak count of water birds to fall from 80,108 in 2006 to 51,313 in 2013, and the number of species to decline about five. The common shelduck has seen an average annual decline of 22 per cent.
“All the birds and other wildlife are dependent on these wetlands, so if these unauthorised activities continue, I’m afraid this will have a significant impact on Hong Kong’s biodiversity,” said Woo Ming-chuan, conservation officer at the society. “We may even lose our international wetland status.”
Legislative loopholes and bureaucracy prevented the government from tackling cases of illegal development effectively, Woo said. From 2009 to 2013, there were 158 known cases of unauthorised activity but only six successful prosecutions. None of the sites was successfully restored to its original ecological function.
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One case last year involved illegal dumping at a fish pond in San Tin, a village north of Yuen Long near Mai Po nature reserve.