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Hong Kong environmental issues
Opinion
SCMP Editorial
Editorial
SCMP Editorial

Hong Kong’s biodiversity successes should spark more action

A recent study on the city’s wild cockatoo population is the latest reminder that balancing development and conservation is possible

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Cockatoos perch on the branch of a blooming cotton tree and feed on flowers in Admiralty on March 18. Photo: Karma Lo
SCMP Editorial
Editorials represent the views of the South China Morning Post on the issues of the day.
Urban Hong Kong being described as a “biodiversity ark” may have come as a surprise last month, but researchers are hopeful the city can serve as a genetic sanctuary needed to save critically endangered birds in Indonesia. This should also encourage the authorities and the public to do more to ensure environmental stewardship takes flight in the city.

A University of Hong Kong study published in the Evolutionary Applications journal in May focused on the yellow-crested cockatoo, a critically endangered species in Indonesia, which has been found in busy areas of Hong Kong since the 1960s. The descendants of escaped or released pets now form a flock of about 200.

Lead researcher Astrid Andersson from HKU’s school of biological sciences said the birds are “backup” lineages of subspecies that may no longer exist in the wild. The parrots are listed as critically endangered after poaching, the pet trade and habitat loss drove their numbers to fewer than 2,000 in their native Indonesia. Hong Kong Island is now home to one-tenth of the global population and DNA profiles show they have greater resilience to disease and environmental stress. Andersson said a carefully managed programme might allow some to be reintroduced to Indonesia, but the city’s population also needs help, including installing artificial nests to replace those lost to typhoons and tree pruning.

The birds are not the only example of the diverse, fragile and globally significant ecosystem behind Hong Kong’s famous skyline. New soft coral species were recently found near Shek O. Rare owls have begun to breed and leopard cats are returning to other areas amid forest restoration work by Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden.
The city has faced criticism for failing to balance development with habitat preservation. Unchecked tourism also damaged natural sites including some coral reefs. New crowd control measures to protect natural sites and recent updates to the government’s Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan are welcome steps.

Policy must still be backed up with enforcement and proactive stewardship. Helping Indonesia save its rare flock could also inspire the city to do more at home.

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