Hong Kong Nature
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The country parks in Hong Kong hold a wide variety of plants and animals living in close proximity to one of the world's densest cities. Hong Kong's subtropical location means that its wildlife is a mixture of tropical and temperate species. In general the tropical plants and animals are more visible in the hot and humid summers, whereas the more temperate-climate species are more noticeable during the mild winter months.
Despite Hong Kong's small area there are many different habitats. Many of Hong Kong's mountains reach above the tree line with the highest point being just shy of 1000m. There is an extensive coastline with rocky shores, sandy bays and mangroves. In the east there is an area with coral reef and in the west there is the Pearl River estuary with a dwindling population of pink Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins.
Hong Kong was once widely deforested but now there are a lot of new forests and some small areas with old growth forest. In the north-west of the territory is a large area of fishponds and marshland, attractive for migrating birds. There are many mountain streams and waterfalls. Even in the city there are many parks with a wide variety of plants and even some surprising wildlife such as a wild, breeding colony of a rare species of cockatoo right in the heart of the city's financial district.
On this website I attempt to document what I have seen through my own photos and amateur research from field guides and the internet. For plants I have found the Hong Kong Herbarium website indispensable and have increasingly made use of iNaturalist to identify plants and animals. I have decided to include several photos of each species in order to show different aspects of that species. I hope this will help people identify things more easily as different examples can show the range within a certain species.
Despite Hong Kong's small area there are many different habitats. Many of Hong Kong's mountains reach above the tree line with the highest point being just shy of 1000m. There is an extensive coastline with rocky shores, sandy bays and mangroves. In the east there is an area with coral reef and in the west there is the Pearl River estuary with a dwindling population of pink Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins.
Hong Kong was once widely deforested but now there are a lot of new forests and some small areas with old growth forest. In the north-west of the territory is a large area of fishponds and marshland, attractive for migrating birds. There are many mountain streams and waterfalls. Even in the city there are many parks with a wide variety of plants and even some surprising wildlife such as a wild, breeding colony of a rare species of cockatoo right in the heart of the city's financial district.
On this website I attempt to document what I have seen through my own photos and amateur research from field guides and the internet. For plants I have found the Hong Kong Herbarium website indispensable and have increasingly made use of iNaturalist to identify plants and animals. I have decided to include several photos of each species in order to show different aspects of that species. I hope this will help people identify things more easily as different examples can show the range within a certain species.
All photos were taken by the author of the website in Hong Kong
Bibliography
A Colour Guide to Hong Kong animals, Dennis Hill-Karen Phillipps - Government Printer - 1981
The Birds of Hong Kong and South China, Clive Viney-Karen Phillipps - Government Printer - 1989
Hong Kong Amphibians and Reptiles, Stephen Karsen-Wai-neng Lau-Anthony Bogadek - Provisional Urban Council - 1998
Plants of Hong Kong, Stella Thrower - Longman - 1971
Hong Kong Shrubs, Urban Services Department - 1971
Hong Kong Shrubs: volume II, S. Thrower - Urban Council - 1984
Hong Kong food plants, S. Zee-L. Hui - The Urban Council - 1990
The Green dragon: Hong Kong's living environment, Martin Williams-Michael Pitts - Green Dragon - 1994
Birdwatching in the big city, Henry Lui - Hong Kong Discovery - 2005
Amazing Insect World, Fang Hong-jian - Hong Kong Discovery - 2006
Birdwatching in woodlands, Henry Lui - Hong Kong Discovery - 2008
Galleria: Nature in Focus, W. Hui - Friends of the Country Parks - 2003
This is Hong Kong: Butterflies, Gweneth Johnston-Bernard Johnston - Government Information Services - 1980
Hong Kong Herbs: Volume II, Thrower, S. L. - Hong Kong: Urban Council - 1984
Hong Kong Freshwater Fishes, Man Shek-hay-I. Hodgkiss - Urban Council - 1981
Hong Kong Butterflies, Lo Yik-fui, Hui Wing-leung - Friends of the Country Parks - 2005
Hong Kong Herbs and Vines, Thrower, S. L. - Hong Kong: Urban Council - 1976
Fungi of Hong Kong, Griffiths, D. - Hong Kong: Urban Council - 1977
Hong Kong Poisonous Plants, Ho Mang-hang - Hong Kong Urban Council - 1981
Hong Kong Trees (Omnibus Volume), Thrower, S. L. - Hong Kong: Urban Council - 1988
Common Urban Trees of Hong Kong, Lam, Tam, Shek & Lam - AFCD - 2018
Pictorial Guide Book of KFBG Plants (Revised Edition), Shiu, C., Chau, L., Fung, T. - Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden - 2008
Hong Kong Beetles (Volume 1), Yiu, V. & Yip, C-H. - Hong Kong Entomological Society - 2011
A Field Guide to the Amphibians of Hong Kong, Chan, S., Cheung, K-S., Ho, C-Y., Lam, F-N., Tang, W-S., Lau, M., Bogadek, A. - AFCD - 2005
Chinese Medicinal Herbs of Hong Kong, Cheung, S-C. - 1999
Butterfly Watching in Hong Kong, Young, J. J., Yiu, V. - Wan Li Book Co Ltd - 2002
Forest in the Water (Mangroves), Lee, S-Y., Friends of the Country Parks - 2002
Portraits of Trees of Hong Kong and Southern China, Bunker, S. G., Saunders, R., Pang, C-C. - Earnshaw Books - 2019
The Skinks of Hong Kong, Chan, Simon KF., Chan, Aidia SW., Cheung, KS., Ho, CY., Ng, Connie KY., Tang, WS. - HK Biodiversity AFCD Newsletter - 2009
Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Hong Kong, Wilson, Keith D. P., - AFCD - 2004
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Hong Kong, Lam CY. - HKBWS - 2020
A Colour Guide to Hong Kong animals, Dennis Hill-Karen Phillipps - Government Printer - 1981
The Birds of Hong Kong and South China, Clive Viney-Karen Phillipps - Government Printer - 1989
Hong Kong Amphibians and Reptiles, Stephen Karsen-Wai-neng Lau-Anthony Bogadek - Provisional Urban Council - 1998
Plants of Hong Kong, Stella Thrower - Longman - 1971
Hong Kong Shrubs, Urban Services Department - 1971
Hong Kong Shrubs: volume II, S. Thrower - Urban Council - 1984
Hong Kong food plants, S. Zee-L. Hui - The Urban Council - 1990
The Green dragon: Hong Kong's living environment, Martin Williams-Michael Pitts - Green Dragon - 1994
Birdwatching in the big city, Henry Lui - Hong Kong Discovery - 2005
Amazing Insect World, Fang Hong-jian - Hong Kong Discovery - 2006
Birdwatching in woodlands, Henry Lui - Hong Kong Discovery - 2008
Galleria: Nature in Focus, W. Hui - Friends of the Country Parks - 2003
This is Hong Kong: Butterflies, Gweneth Johnston-Bernard Johnston - Government Information Services - 1980
Hong Kong Herbs: Volume II, Thrower, S. L. - Hong Kong: Urban Council - 1984
Hong Kong Freshwater Fishes, Man Shek-hay-I. Hodgkiss - Urban Council - 1981
Hong Kong Butterflies, Lo Yik-fui, Hui Wing-leung - Friends of the Country Parks - 2005
Hong Kong Herbs and Vines, Thrower, S. L. - Hong Kong: Urban Council - 1976
Fungi of Hong Kong, Griffiths, D. - Hong Kong: Urban Council - 1977
Hong Kong Poisonous Plants, Ho Mang-hang - Hong Kong Urban Council - 1981
Hong Kong Trees (Omnibus Volume), Thrower, S. L. - Hong Kong: Urban Council - 1988
Common Urban Trees of Hong Kong, Lam, Tam, Shek & Lam - AFCD - 2018
Pictorial Guide Book of KFBG Plants (Revised Edition), Shiu, C., Chau, L., Fung, T. - Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden - 2008
Hong Kong Beetles (Volume 1), Yiu, V. & Yip, C-H. - Hong Kong Entomological Society - 2011
A Field Guide to the Amphibians of Hong Kong, Chan, S., Cheung, K-S., Ho, C-Y., Lam, F-N., Tang, W-S., Lau, M., Bogadek, A. - AFCD - 2005
Chinese Medicinal Herbs of Hong Kong, Cheung, S-C. - 1999
Butterfly Watching in Hong Kong, Young, J. J., Yiu, V. - Wan Li Book Co Ltd - 2002
Forest in the Water (Mangroves), Lee, S-Y., Friends of the Country Parks - 2002
Portraits of Trees of Hong Kong and Southern China, Bunker, S. G., Saunders, R., Pang, C-C. - Earnshaw Books - 2019
The Skinks of Hong Kong, Chan, Simon KF., Chan, Aidia SW., Cheung, KS., Ho, CY., Ng, Connie KY., Tang, WS. - HK Biodiversity AFCD Newsletter - 2009
Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Hong Kong, Wilson, Keith D. P., - AFCD - 2004
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Hong Kong, Lam CY. - HKBWS - 2020