Promoting Ecotourism in HK

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Promoting Ecotourism in HK

• A case study dolphin-watching activities in
  Hong Kong

Samuel Hung Ka-yiu
Director, HK Cetacean Research Project
Editor-in-Chief, Hong Kong Discovery
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Talk Outline

• Modes of ecotourism in HK
• Conservation of CWD in HK
• Promoting DW activities in HK
• From conservationists perspective
• From commercial operators perspective
• Difficulties and challenges of promoting
  ecotourism

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Modes of Ecotourism in HK

• Wildlife watching
• Birds
• Insects (Butterfly, Dragonfly)
• Plants (mangrove, herb, organic farm, etc.)
• Dolphin and Terrestrial Mammals
• Coral and Underwater Lives
• Intertidal Organisms
• Geology
• Cultural heritage

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Bird Watching

• gt450 species of birds in HK
• Common and Resident
• Migrant (summer winter)
• Places to watch Mai Po, Tai Po Kau,
  Kowloon Park, Long Valley,
  Nam San Wai, etc.

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Insect Watching

• 236 species of butterflies
• Places to watch Sha Lo Wan, Shing Mun, Fan Lau,
  Siu Lan Shui, etc.

• 111 species of dragonflies
• Places to watch Sha Lo Tung, Sai Kung, etc.

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Plant Watching

• Flowering plants
• Herb with medicinal value
• Mangrove and wetland plants
• Organic farm visit

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Dolphin Mammal Watching

• Chinese white dolphins finless porpoises
• Terrestrial mammals

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Coral and Underwater Lives

• Over 80 species of stony corals
• Other underwater lives
• Coral fish, nudibranch, starfish, crab, sea
  horse, sea cucumber
• Places to go Ho Hai Wan, Tung Ping Chau, Port
  Shelter

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Geology Trip

• Granite and Sedimentary Rocks
• Different geological features
• Places to go Ma Shi Chau, Tung Ping Chau, Bluff
  Head, Port Island, Pat Sin Leng, Sai Kung
  Peninsula, Po Toi

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Conservation of CWD in HK
Chinese white dolphin a.k.a. Indo-Pacific
humpback dolphin
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Conservation of CWD in HK
Construction of Chek Lap Kok New Airport
prompted the beginning
of dolphin research in HK
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Conservation of CWD in HK
Long-term Monitoring Project on Chinese white
dolphin including boat survey,
land-based observation
stranding investigation programme
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Conservation of CWD in HK
Distribution of CWD in HK (mostly in western
waters of HK)
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Conservation of CWD in HK
Abundance of Chinese white dolphin (78 217
dolphins in HK)
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Conservation of CWD in HK
Color Development of Chinese white dolphin
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Conservation of CWD in HK
Fishery Bycatch
Water Pollution
Underwater Noise
Vessel Collision
Habitat Loss
Dolphinwatching Activities
Threats to local dolphins and porpoises
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Promoting Dolphinwatching in HK

• From conservationists perspective
• A tool to educate the public
• Provide a platform to
  conduct research
• Generate income to
  support research

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Promoting Dolphinwatching in HK

• From operators perspective
• Generate profits
• Educate the public social responsibility
• Contribute to dolphin conservation

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Promoting Dolphinwatching in HK

• Dilemma
• Chasing dolphin in high speed and delibrately
• Several boats encircle a group of dolphins
• Throw fish and trash in waters
• Inexperience onboard tour guide
• Not knowing code-of-conduct at all !!!

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Promoting Dolphinwatching in HK

• Solutions
• Establish dolphin-watching code-of-conduct
• More law enforcement (Wild Animals Protection
  Ordinance)
• Educate the public in
  choosing good operators
• Forming a coalition of
  DW operators

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Promoting Ecotourism in HK

• Difficulties and challenges ahead
• Inexperienced tour guide
• Not enough training opportunities
• Big gap between good concept
  and real world
• Quality of participants (expectation)

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Promoting Ecotourism in HK

• Difficulties and challenges ahead
• Not enough regulations
• Deterioration of natural environment
• Not enough education public awareness
• To HKTB or government officials
  Please dont help us before
  learning
  What Is Ecotourism First