Bosco Chan

Opinion | Whale’s death a wake-up call for Hong Kong to better protect its fragile marine environment

The excitement and outrage generated by the sighting of a Bryde’s whale and its untimely death have spurred badly needed discussion on how to make Hong Kong a safer and more attractive place for marine mammals and local biodiversity

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The carcass of the Bryde’s whale is hoisted onto the deck of a vessel in waters near Port Shelter, Hong Kong, on July 31. Photo: Reuters

Bosco Chan

Published: 8:15am, 5 Aug 2023

The arrival of a gentle giant in Sai Kung waters three weeks ago filled Hongkongers with excitement and interest. The whale, believed to be a Bryde’s whale, proceeded to feed and frolic in the Port Shelter area surrounded by party yachts, speedboats and thrill-seeking sightseers, occasionally performing its spectacular feeding strategies and filling the onlookers with awe.

But, on July 31, the story came to a tragic end with the discovery of the whale’s carcass. While the cause of death is still being investigated, a necropsy team found a fresh wound in front of the whale’s dorsal fin.

Conservation groups repeatedly expressed concern about the whale’s safety following the initial sighting. Haphazard “whale-watching tours” and the generally busy marine traffic nearby was a worry.

When public appeals to stop disturbing the whale failed, the government was asked to intervene. Representatives said they did their best within the existing legal framework but said many of the recommendations were not feasible.

After visiting the necropsy site, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan pledged that the government would act “better, faster, and more effectively in the future” by reviewing existing legislation, strengthening public education and drafting contingency plans for future whale arrivals.

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Whale found dead in Hong Kong’s Sai Kung waters after rare sightings

Records show that the sea surrounding Hong Kong has been home to several baleen whale species: a 2007 study suggested that the Bryde’s whale might not be all that rare in and around Hong Kong. A study on China’s whale distribution also indicates that the waters near Guangdong used to be a baleen whale hotspot.