University Student Sponsorship Programme 2019-20

On the 16th year of USSP, OPCFHK will sponsor a total of 31 students from seven different universities. They are heading to seven Asian regions and countries including China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan to support frontline conservation work and research. The animal species they have supported included Bali starling, Bryde’s whale, Chinese horseshoe crab, Chinese white dolphin, coral and Banggai cardinalfish, dugong, freshwater turtles, giant panda, Mongolian marmot, sea birds, sharks and rays, and terrestrial birds and mammals, spreading the spirits of conservation through their journeys and conservation projects.

The Foundation also organises field trips for the students to learn more about Hong Kong’s biodiversity and to get ready for their overseas conservation trips.

WANG Jia Ying Katherina
The Education University of Hong Kong
 
CHOW Tsz Kwan Anna
Lingnan University
 
Animal Species: Bali starling  
Location: Bali, Indonesia
Date: December 17 to 30, 2019
Principal Investigator: Ms Carolyn KENWRICK, Begawan Foundation 
Research Focus: Local community collaboration for the successful conservation of the Bali starling   
 
Students' Participation:
  • Bird monitoring of released birds
  • Video-making for Bali's community programme
  • Assist in community education work such as designing and implementing environmental-friendly D.I.Y. workshops

Journey record: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Infographic:  Species introduction / Student participation

 

 

TANG Lok Yi Carol
Hong Kong Baptist University

YIP Shu Kai James
The University of Hong Kong

Animal Species: Chinese white dolphin and Bryde's whale
Location: Guangxi, China
Date: January 3 to 12, 2020
Principal Investigator: Mr. CHEN Mo, Guangxi Academy of Sciences
Research Focus: Drone survey of Chinese white dolphin and population survey of Bryde's whale

Students' Participation:

  • Cetacean boat-based population survey and drone survey
  • School and community education work in Weizhou Island
Journey record: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

 

 

WONG Tsz Ching Shirley
The University of Hong Kong

KWOK Ka Lee Kelly
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Animal Species: Giant panda
Location: Sichuan, China
Date: December 24, 2019 to January 7, 2020
Principal Investigator: Prof. LI Desheng, China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda
Research Focus: Wild release training for giant panda

Students' Participation:

  • Behaviour record for panda under wild training
  • Field tracking of released pandas and infra-red triggered camera set-up
  • Bamboo quadrant survey

Journey record: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

 

 

 
HUNG Ka Hei Keira and WONG Wing Nicole
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Animal Species: Bali starling  
Location: Bali, Indonesia
Date: May to June, 2020
Principal Investigator: Ms Carolyn KENWRICK, Begawan Foundation 
Research Focus: Local community collaboration for the successful conservation of the Bali starling   
 
Students' Participation:
  • Bird monitoring of released birds
  • Video-making for Bali's community programme
  • Assist in community education work such as designing and implementing environmental-friendly D.I.Y. workshops 

 

 

WONG Hei Ching Smiley and AU Hing Man Candy
Hong Kong Baptist University

YEUNG Chun Fung Michael and CHUNG Kai Jing Jeremy
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Animal Species: Dugong 
Location: Palawan, Philippines 
Date: May to June, 2020
Principal Investigator: Mr. Reynante RAMILO, Community Centred Conservation (C3)  
Research Focus: Community-Driven Monitoring and Conservation of Palawan's Threatened Dugongs 

Students' Participation:

  • Land-based survey for dugongs
  • Monitoring of dugong eco-tourism
  • Monitoring of feeding tracks of dugongs and seagrass bed assessment
  • Assist local community education work to raise awareness on dugong conservation

 

 

IP Cheuk Long Sky
City University of Hong Kong

LAI Kwun Yin Winston
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Animal Species: Chinese horseshoe crab 
Location: Taiwan
Date: May to June, 2020
Principal Investigator: Dr. YANG Mingjie, Blue Ocean Alliance
Research Focus: Taiwan juvenile horseshoe crab survey: survey of juvenile horseshoe crab populations and habitats in Kinmen, Penghu and Xiangshan, Taiwan 

Students' Participation:

  • Mudflat survey: horseshoe crab population survey, measurements of environmental parameters, substrate and benthic sample collection
  • Environmental education activity design and execution
  • Citizen science surveys or environment activity, such as mudflat clean up and marine debris art

 

 

WONG Hoi Ching Sarah and LEE Tsz Chung Ronald
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

AU Yuen Yi Jamie and TSUI Tsz Ching Kelly
The University of Hong Kong

YAU Sze Man Sandy
Hong Kong Baptist University

Animal Species: Terrestrial mammals
Location: Indonesia
Date: May to June, 2020
Principal Investigator: Dr. Mark HARRISON, Borneo Nature Foundation
Research Focus: Developing local community nurseries to protect and restore threatened wildlife habitat in Indonesian Borneo 

Students' Participation:

  • Orangutan nest surveys, infra-red triggered camera trap surveys, forest cover mapping
  • Habitat restorations, including peat swamp habitat restoration, seedling replanting, canal dam building, rebuilding the nursery in field camp
  • Community education and community development activities in villages

HUNG Pak Yam Linus
The University of Hong Kong

LAM Wing Yan Yanmy
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Animal Species: Mongolian marmot
Location: Mongolia
Date: May to June, 2020
Principal Investigator: Mr. Tumurbaatar ENEBISH, Conservation Research and Education Center
Research Focus: Promoting model for community conservation of Mongolian marmot

Students' Work:

  • Collecting field data of the Mongolian marmot
  • Interview with local herders and visit herder households

 

 

LU Wing Shan Susan
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
 
LAM Si Yu Renee
The University of Hong Kong
 
Animal Species: Coral and Banggai cardinalfish
Location: Sulawesi and Bali, Indonesia
Date: May to June, 2020
Principal Investigator: Mrs. Gayatri LILLEY, Yayasan Alam Indonesia Lestari
Research Focus: Community-based conservation management of the Banggai cardinalfish
 
Students' Work:
  • Assist the research team in population surveys to study the impacts of the local fishery on the population of Banggai cardinalfish
  • participate in the Banggai cardinalfish breeding programme
  • Assist in research and restoration of degraded coral reef

 

 

CHUNG Suet Wah Sheena and MAN Hiu Tung Natalie
The University of Hong Kong

Animal Species: Sharks and rays
Location: Sri Lanka
Date: May to June, 2020
Principal Investigator: Mr. Daniel FERNANDO, Blue Resources Trust
Research Focus: Determining elasmobranch diversity and conducting age-growth analyses of threatened species to support sustainable fisheries management in Sri Lanka

Students' Work:
  • Record elasmobranch and reef fisheries at landing sites
  • Laboratory work for an age-growth study
  • Coral reef transect survey

 

 

LEE Ling Kak Ruth, LOW Megan Mei Yan and CHAN Lai Ying Alex
The University of Hong Kong

LEUNG On Sang, Anson
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Animal Species: Terrestrial mammals and birds
Location: West Visayas, the Philippines
Date: May to June, 2020
Principal Investigator: Ms. Ysabella MONTANO, Talarak Foundation Inc.
Research Focus: West Visayas species reintroduction project

Students' Participation:

  • Terrestrial bird and mammal population assessments: infra-red triggered camera trap surveys, transect surveys, bird point count surveys, radio-telemetry
  • Habitat assessment, reforestation and invasive species removal
  • Community engagement, education and awareness-raising
  • Animal husbandry and behaviour record

 

 

YIM Kar Bo Anthony
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

LEE Hoi Kwong Hugo
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Animal Species: Threatened freshwater turtles
Location: India
Date: May to June, 2020
Principal Investigator: Dr. Shailendra SINGH, Turtle Survival Alliance India
Research Focus: Recovering India's most endangered turtles; northern river terrapin (Batagur baska) in the Sundarbans

Students' Participation: 
  • Freshwater turtle nest protection
  • Radio-telemetry and mark-recapture exercises
  • Husbandry and morphometrics and chelonian photography
  • Community outreach programme