Hong Kong authorities arrested a man after the discovery of 14 endangered reptiles, including a crocodile and two pythons, at an industrial site in Kwai Chung. A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said on Wednesday evening that officers arrested the man in a blitz operation the previous night. “The AFCD will remain…
Hong Kong’s conservation authorities have defended their handling of heavy visitor flows to Sai Kung’s country parks over the Lunar New Year holiday, saying the popular spots were under control despite concerns about overcrowding, with 32 enforcement cases recorded during the period. But a Sai Kung district councillor also said that the number of campers…
Campers and hikers have urged Hong Kong authorities to step up public education, law enforcement and impose foot traffic limits at campsites after some areas were flooded with visitors during the Lunar New Year holiday. A visit by the South China Morning Post on Saturday to Ham Tin Wan, a beach in Sai Kung, found…
Hong Kong authorities are tightening crowd control and environmental protection measures at popular hiking and camping spots ahead of the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday, with officials estimating that 1.43 million mainland Chinese tourists will visit the city. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said on Saturday that the government was taking…
Hong Kong animal rights activists have called on the government to create a list of approved pets after an abandoned 85kg (187lbs) alligator snapping turtle was found eating fish in a New Territories pond. They also called on authorities to microchip turtles sold to the public, toughen penalties for letting pets loose in the wild…
Hong Kong’s tourism chief has struck an upbeat note on tourist arrivals during Lunar New Year and expressed confidence that visitor numbers will cross the 50 million mark by the end of the year. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said she was optimistic about a year-on-year increase in tourist arrivals over…
Hong Kong authorities are investigating the discovery of a severely decomposed whale carcass discovered on a beach in Sai Kung. Authorities were alerted to the decomposed carcass, measuring 11 metres (36.1 feet) in length, on Thursday after villagers found it on the beach at Ham Tin Wan, in Sai Kung East Country Park. The Agriculture,…
Animal welfare groups have criticised a Hong Kong pet shop for offering a cat rental service, calling the move unethical and harmful to the felines’ well-being. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said on Wednesday that it had sent staff to inspect the shop in North Point and reminded its operator to comply with…
Hong Kong has seen an increase in applications to import pets after the city cut the quarantine period for cats and dogs from mainland China from 120 to 30 days. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) also said that a greater number of quarantine units at its new Kai Tak complex had further reduced…
Some tourists have been camping, cooking over open fires and removing marine creatures washed ashore in a Unesco-listed geopark in Hong Kong, potentially violating park rules and posing an ecological threat, the Post has found. Visitors who talked to the Post on Saturday were also split about how the park could be better protected. Some…