Page 36 - OPCFHK Annual Report 2018-19
P. 36

馬蹄蟹校園保母計劃：保育活化石


         Juvenile Horseshoe Crab Rearing Programme: Saving the Living Fossil



         鑑於全球的馬蹄蟹數量急劇大幅下降，保育基金自
         二零零九年起推行「馬蹄蟹校園保母計劃」，透過
         特別的學習體驗，讓學生親身飼養年幼馬蹄蟹，以
         協助增加馬蹄蟹的數量及保護馬蹄蟹的天然棲息環境。
         在二零一八至一九年度，此計劃的專題講座、生態
         導賞、泥灘清潔和馬蹄蟹飼養等教育活動，合共
         吸引逾一千一百五十名來自三十間中學的學生參加。
         計劃獲得熱烈支持，部分學生繼上一年度後再次
         參與活動，同時老師亦表示，相關教育活動加強了
         學生對馬蹄蟹保育的興趣，他們都希望進一步了解
         藥用、漁業、棲息地流失和氣候變化等因素，如何
         威脅馬蹄蟹的存活。
         自二零零九年計劃推展以來，共有超過一千六百隻
         年幼馬蹄蟹被飼養及放歸野外。展望未來，保育
         基金希望將計劃擴展至本地小學、開展有關馬蹄蟹
         人工養殖的研究，以及與本地大學合作進行馬蹄蟹                        In response to the rapid decline of horseshoe crab populations
         保育的研究項目。                                      around the world, OPCFHK inaugurated the Juvenile Horseshoe
                                                       Crab Rearing Programme in 2009 to invite students to help increase
                                                       the number of horseshoe crabs and conserve their natural habitats
                                                       through a unique educational experience.
                                                       Featuring activities like school talks, tours, mudflat clean-ups and
                                                       horseshoe crab rearing, the programme attracted 1,150 students
                                                       from 30 schools to take part in 2018/19 alone. The programme was
                                                       met with enthusiastic feedback with numerous students rejoining
                                                       year after year. Teachers also cited an increase in students’ interest
                                                       in horseshoe crab conservation, especially how pharmaceutical use,
                                                       fishing, habitat loss and climate change have been affecting the
                                                       survival of horseshoe crabs.
                                                       Over 1,600 juvenile horseshoe crabs have been raised and released
                                                       back to the wild since the programme’s inception in 2009. Looking
                                                       ahead, OPCFHK plans to extend the programme to primary schools,
                                                       as well as initiate a study on the artificial breeding of horseshoe
                                                       crabs, and cooperate with universities in Hong Kong on various
          © Loretta Kwok                               horseshoe crab research projects.













         馬蹄蟹校園計劃
         自 2009 年開展以來的成果
         Achievements of the Horseshoe
         Crab School Programme since 2009

                        名學生參與計劃
         4,990+ students participated

         1,600+         隻年幼馬蹄蟹放歸野外
                        juvenile horseshoe crabs released
         269,000+           名公眾人士得以認識馬蹄蟹保育工作
                            members of public reached

         34 |  保育教育
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