Black-faced Spoonbill
The Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) is a large white wading bird with a distinctively shaped beak-looking like a spoon, or a “pi pa” (Chinese musical instrument). The facial skin is bare and black in colour - hence its name. It stands about 76cm high and weighs about 1kg.
Black-faced Spoonbills breed between March and September on small islands along the western coast of the Korean Peninsular to Liaoning Province, China. The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea where human access is restricted is the biggest and most successful breeding area.
In winter, Black-faced Spoonbill migrate southward to their wintering grounds. Confirmed wintering sites include: coastal areas in Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. Taiwan and the Pearl River Delta area (Mai Po & Inner Deep Bay, Futian Nature Reserve and Macau) are the main wintering sites of Black-faced Spoonbill; together they support over 60% of the wintering population.
Black-faced Spoonbills breed between March and September on small islands along the western coast of the Korean Peninsular to Liaoning Province, China. The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea where human access is restricted is the biggest and most successful breeding area.
In winter, Black-faced Spoonbill migrate southward to their wintering grounds. Confirmed wintering sites include: coastal areas in Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. Taiwan and the Pearl River Delta area (Mai Po & Inner Deep Bay, Futian Nature Reserve and Macau) are the main wintering sites of Black-faced Spoonbill; together they support over 60% of the wintering population.
Giant Panda
While the Panda is one of the world’s most iconic species, known and loved across the world, this peaceful, bamboo-eating member of the bear family faces a number of threats to its survival. Its forest habitat is fragmented and populations are small and isolated from each other, and poaching remains an ever-present threat.
The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) was once widespread throughout southern and eastern China, as well as neighbouring Myanmar (Burma) and northern Vietnam. Today, pandas mainly live in bamboo forests high in the mountains of western China, with most of the wild population distributed between the Qinling and Minshan Mountains.
By mid-2005, the Chinese government had established over 50 panda reserves, protecting more than 10,400 km² and over 45% of remaining giant panda habitat. However, habitat destruction continues to pose a threat to the many pandas living outside these areas.
Currently, only around 66.8% of the population, or about 1246 pandas, are under protection in reserves. As China's economy continues its rapid development, it is more important than ever to ensure the giant panda's continued survival. While progress is being made, numbers remain low. The IUCN’s Red List classifies the panda as Endangered, and threats to its survival remain.
The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) was once widespread throughout southern and eastern China, as well as neighbouring Myanmar (Burma) and northern Vietnam. Today, pandas mainly live in bamboo forests high in the mountains of western China, with most of the wild population distributed between the Qinling and Minshan Mountains.
By mid-2005, the Chinese government had established over 50 panda reserves, protecting more than 10,400 km² and over 45% of remaining giant panda habitat. However, habitat destruction continues to pose a threat to the many pandas living outside these areas.
Currently, only around 66.8% of the population, or about 1246 pandas, are under protection in reserves. As China's economy continues its rapid development, it is more important than ever to ensure the giant panda's continued survival. While progress is being made, numbers remain low. The IUCN’s Red List classifies the panda as Endangered, and threats to its survival remain.
Elephants
Like humans, elephants are social animals that communicate with each other. These highly intelligent animals have a long gestation period – after a 22-month pregnancy calves are nursed for more than six years after birth. Their strong familial bond doesn’t end there: several family units form clans, similar to how some cultures operate such as in the Chinese tradition.
The survival of elephants has been under threat not just from poaching, but from encroaching human activity on their habitat, often leading to human-elephant conflict.
Human-elephant conflict (HEC) causes significant impacts on community livelihoods and contributes to the loss of critically endangered wildlife. Elephants raiding crops damage livelihoods, reduce food security for farmers, and sometimes cause injury or death. In Tanzania, human-elephant conflict is to blame for 90 elephants killed each year, while the number of human deaths has increased from 39 in 2017 to 96 in 2019. Meanwhile, Tanzanian farmers since 2010 have claimed nearly HK$6 million in crop damage caused by elephants.
The survival of elephants has been under threat not just from poaching, but from encroaching human activity on their habitat, often leading to human-elephant conflict.
Human-elephant conflict (HEC) causes significant impacts on community livelihoods and contributes to the loss of critically endangered wildlife. Elephants raiding crops damage livelihoods, reduce food security for farmers, and sometimes cause injury or death. In Tanzania, human-elephant conflict is to blame for 90 elephants killed each year, while the number of human deaths has increased from 39 in 2017 to 96 in 2019. Meanwhile, Tanzanian farmers since 2010 have claimed nearly HK$6 million in crop damage caused by elephants.
Chinese white dolphin
There are many reasons why the Chinese white dolphin (Sousa chinensis) is beloved by the Hong Kong people. At the top of the list: its pink colouring and its friendly nature.
The Chinese white dolphin was first recorded in local waters as early as the 1600s. The dolphins’ habitat spans the Pearl River Estuary, and is closely associated with the estuarine mixing zone between the river and the ocean.
The Chinese white dolphin was first recorded in local waters as early as the 1600s. The dolphins’ habitat spans the Pearl River Estuary, and is closely associated with the estuarine mixing zone between the river and the ocean.
On the western coast of the Pearl River Estuary, within Hong Kong waters, the dolphins prefer to stay close to the shore. In particular, they are known to be in North Lantau waters near Castle Peak, Lung Kwu Chau and Sha Chau Marine Park, Chek Lap Kok and Tai O. They are also found in the waters south of Lantau, including Fan Lau and the Soko Islands.
The population inhabiting the Pearl River Estuary, including Hong Kong, is believed to number around 2,500 individuals. During the past few years, there has been a worrisome decrease in the number of young dolphins sighted in Hong Kong waters. These lower numbers could result in a decrease in the population in years to come.
In recent years, the Chinese white dolphin has been facing a number of threats: overfishing, water pollution and heavy marine traffic, along with coastal development. These threats have had a major and cumulative impact on the population for years. It is necessary to take a proactive approach in order to conserve the remaining population of the species before it’s too late.
The population inhabiting the Pearl River Estuary, including Hong Kong, is believed to number around 2,500 individuals. During the past few years, there has been a worrisome decrease in the number of young dolphins sighted in Hong Kong waters. These lower numbers could result in a decrease in the population in years to come.
In recent years, the Chinese white dolphin has been facing a number of threats: overfishing, water pollution and heavy marine traffic, along with coastal development. These threats have had a major and cumulative impact on the population for years. It is necessary to take a proactive approach in order to conserve the remaining population of the species before it’s too late.
Myanmar’s Gibbons
The government in Myanmar has been expanding distribution powerlines in both rural and urban areas throughout the country, including in villages in the Dawna Tenasserim Landscape (DTL). The 11 kV powerlines being used are uninsulated, posing a huge threat to gibbons and other wildlife living nearby. While the electrification of Myanmar’s rural communities is a priority, WWF is committed to ensuring that it is done without harming local wildlife.
In a pilot project, WWF worked with villagers and the local electric cable company to complete a 1.6 kilometre-long insulation project in one of the villages in the DTL. As the government continues to roll out its electrification plan in the country’s rural regions, local wildlife will come under increasing risk unless rural power lines are made safe for them. We aim to use this village project as a model to replicate in other affected communities, for all wildlife and throughout the country.
Sharks
Sharks vary greatly in size and habit. Whale sharks are the largest of all fish and can grow up to 12 m long and weigh up to 12,000 kg. The smallest sharks are the tiny pygmy sharks, which are fully grown at 20cm in length.
Sharks are efficient predators, with a highly developed sense of smell, hearing and sight. They can scent their prey in the water from great distances, and their sensitive eyes can see clearly even in the dim light of the deep ocean.
Sharks are carnivorous and eat invertebrates and fish, including other sharks. Large species may eat seals, turtles and penguins. Sharks are the top predators in many marine ecosystems, although some sharks, like the whale shark and the basking shark feed on plankton.
To date, scientists have identified more than 1,000 shark and related species. More than 400 species are shark. Only a few of these species have records that they attacked on humans. Yet sharks continue to hold a negative reputation as a danger to people.
Sharks are efficient predators, with a highly developed sense of smell, hearing and sight. They can scent their prey in the water from great distances, and their sensitive eyes can see clearly even in the dim light of the deep ocean.
Sharks are carnivorous and eat invertebrates and fish, including other sharks. Large species may eat seals, turtles and penguins. Sharks are the top predators in many marine ecosystems, although some sharks, like the whale shark and the basking shark feed on plankton.
To date, scientists have identified more than 1,000 shark and related species. More than 400 species are shark. Only a few of these species have records that they attacked on humans. Yet sharks continue to hold a negative reputation as a danger to people.
