Authorities are considering a pilot booking system for one of Hong Kong’s most popular hiking routes and creating a new marine park at Sharp Island in Sai Kung, following bigger-than-expected crowds during mainland Chinese holidays. The proposals were outlined in a paper submitted to a Legislative Council ecology and tourism subcommittee ahead of a meeting…
Hong Kong authorities have stepped up inspections of dog licences by launching regular enforcement operations and random checks on pets in public places, warning they will prosecute owners who breach relevant rules. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said officers would commence such operations on Monday at public places where dogs gathered and appealed…
Hong Kong should adopt a top-down, comprehensive ecotourism policy to safeguard the city’s natural attractions, with a designated authority taking the lead, experts have urged, after a surge in Labour Day “Golden Week” visitors overwhelmed ecologically sensitive spots. The call on Monday came after a viral video showed a Mandarin-speaking tourist smoking a cigarette in…
A bird watcher saw people landing on an uninhabited island in southern Hong Kong waters known to be a regular breeding site for terns during mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week” holiday, according to a green group. Terns mainly feed on small fish and aerial insects. While about 40 species exist globally, 12 have been…
Thousands of visitors have flocked to Hong Kong’s East Dam to view its rare volcanic rock columns at the start of the five-day Labour Day “golden week” holiday, prompting a lawmaker to suggest charging an entrance fee to maintain the Unesco global geopark. Drawn by the city’s natural scenery and well-established hiking trails heavily promoted…
Hong Kong’s ombudsman has urged the government to empower conservation officers to enter people’s homes to investigate suspected animal cruelty cases, describing existing procedures as “ineffective” with less than 1 per cent of reported cases resulting in prosecutions. A report released on Thursday on the Office of the Ombudsman’s latest direct investigation operation also called…
Some Hong Kong residents planning to flee the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with their pets because of conflict in the Middle East are considering flying to other countries rather than returning home due to the city’s 120-day quarantine requirement for cats and dogs. The pet owners called on authorities to relax the “excessive” quarantine rules…
Animal rights groups have urged Hong Kong authorities to review their culling strategy for wild boars and to install animal bridges and other measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict in urban areas after incidents involving wild boars and a buffalo. They warned that as urban expansion, particularly the Northern Metropolis project, cleared large tracts of land…
Hong Kong could introduce pilot schemes for booking campsites in the city before the National Day holiday in October, as authorities revealed that 32 people were prosecuted for offences in Sai Kung’s country parks over the Chinese New Year holiday period. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan told the Legislative Council on Wednesday that…
Hong Kong’s conservation authorities captured eight wild boars in Wong Tai Sin on Tuesday following a report from residents. Police said staff from the Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) staff tranquillised the animals – two large boars and six smaller ones – before removing them. Images showed the animals on a hillside, with officers…