Opinion | Hong Kong must get tough on poachers. Its biodiversity matters to the world
- Hong Kong is the last stronghold for several critically endangered species; losing them is tantamount to a global extinction
- It is time for the government to take steps to update policies and laws that address poaching and ensure penalties are severe enough to act as a deterrent
When residents of Hong Kong think about poaching, they typically conjure up images of slain elephants and rhinos, shot for their tusks and horns. The near-extinction of these species in far-flung corners of the planet is a familiar fact for most of us.
What may not be so familiar is the poaching crisis in our backyard. Hong Kong is facing a pandemic of poachers: hunters preying on wildlife in the country parks, seeking to profit from our biodiversity.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, global populations of these turtles have fallen by over 90 per cent and 95 per cent respectively over the past three generations. Local researchers estimate that Hong Kong’s populations will disappear within the next three to five years if poaching continues at current rates.
In Hong Kong, the illegal taking of wild animals is regulated by the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance and Country Parks Ordinance. The maximum penalties of one year in jail and a HK$100,000 (US$12,740) fine are not a sufficient deterrence for poachers, given the market value of the targeted species.