Chinese white dolphin

Chinese white dolphin also named as “Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin”. The newborn dolphins are usually dark grey in color and begin to lighten within a few months following birth. When they become adults, their skin colour will change to pink or white.

According to the findings from the cetacean stranding cases that OPCFHK handled, "lung infection" (including pneumonia, parasitism, and bacterial infections) is one of the common identifiable causes of death among stranding cases. We should avoid using shampoo and shower gel on boats to prevent untreated chemicals from directly polluting the marine environment. 

Threats: Marine Debris, habitat loss and climate change

Conservation status:
Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)

Tri-spine Horseshoe Crab

Horseshoe crabs have evolved and lived on the earth for 450 million years, preserving their peculiar appearance until now, thus being called 'living fossils'. There are four species of horseshoe crabs in the world, including two in Hong Kong, one of them is the Tri-spine Horseshoe Crab. Tri-spine Horseshoe crab has closer lineages with trilobites and arachnids (e.g. spiders and scorpions). They have six jointed legs and long tail (telson). The telson surface is spiny and triangular in shape.

The threats they are facing include loss of spawning and nursery grounds due to coastal development, reduction of reproduction and survival rates due to pollution, and over-harvesting for the production of a medical reagent namely Tachypleus Amebocyte Lysate.

Threats: Marine debris, habitat loss, over-exploitation for medical use

Conservation status:
Endangered (IUCN Red List)

Beale’s eye turtle

Plastron yellow with black botches, presence of a pair of "eye spots" behind the head and their webbed feet are characteristics of Beale’s eye turtle. The distinctive eye markings made this species a popular pet, luring poachers to capture them for profit. According to recent surveys, it is believed that Hong Kong's remaining population is less than 100, and it may also be the last population of Beale’s eyed turtle in southern China. The Hong Kong government has seized over 1,000 turtle traps from 2011 to 2020, indicating a severe problem. 

Threats: Habitat loss and Illegal poaching

Conservation status:
Endangered (IUCN Red List)

Yellow-breasted Bunting

Known as “Rice Flower Bird” in Chinese.  Upperpart brown with heavy thick stripes and distinctive white scapulars.  Yellow underparts with stripes on flanks, Male has black head and a chestnut nape that connects with a chestnut breast band.  Female lacks white scapulars. The yellow-breasted bunting is threatened with extinction due to overhunting. During their migration season, people hunt them in large numbers in rice fields to sell to restaurants for profit. Their population is declining more rapidly than that of the giant panda. In 2017, it was upgraded from endangered to critically endangered in IUCN Red List, therefore conservation of this species is urgent.

Threats: Illegal poaching

Conservation status:
Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)

Chinese Pangolin

Chinese Pangolin is covered with overlapping scales and an expert ant-eater. It has a small pointed head, a narrow snout, and large sharp claws which help with digging.  The species predominantly inhabits woodlands and is nocturnal.

Their peculiar appearance and rarity are the reasons they are desired as a delicacy in some cultures. Their scales, made of the same keratinous substance as human nails, are claimed to have medicinal value. As a result, all pangolin species are over-harvested and heavily traded to the brink of extinction. 

Threats: Illegal poaching

Conservation status:
Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)

Hong Kong Newt 

Hong Kong Newt is the only native tailed amphibian species in Hong Kong. Its body is reddish brown or dark brown in colour. A dorsal-lateral ridge on each side of body extends to the front part of its tail. They are currently facing urban development and changes in the ecological environment. Every spring, salamanders migrate from streams to woodlands by crossing the roads. Unfortunately, many of them are killed by vehicles during this migration process. 

Threats: Habitat loss and urbanization

Conservation status:
Near Threatened (IUCN Red List)