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Following is a question by the Hon David Chu and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (December 17):

Question:

There are criticisms that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has repeatedly made mistakes in its attempts to rescue or capture wild animals. On one occasion, its failed rescue attempt resulted in the death of a stranded sperm whale, and on another occasion, its misuse of a dog-catching pole to capture a little barking deer led to the animal being strangled to death. Besides, the Australian crocodile expert invited by the AFCD to capture a young crocodile found in Shan Pui River also failed after numerous attempts for more than ten days. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether AFCD has consulted the relevant organisations and experts on the methods to be used when planning its operations to rescue or capture wild animals;

(b) of the reasons for AFCD's inviting the Australian expert to come to Hong Kong to capture the crocodile, without first allowing or inviting local or Mainland experts to do the job; and

(c) of the communication and cooperation between AFCD and local experts and voluntary organisations engaging in the study or conservation of wild animals; and whether their experiences and resources have been fully utilised to tackle problems in the management, rescuing, capturing and handling of wild animals?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) Officers in AFCD are knowledgeable about conservation of wild animals, and are also experienced in handling native wild animals. When they have to rescue or capture non-native wild animals, they will, where necessary, consult the relevant organisations and experts, and also take account of site conditions, in determining the best way to conduct the operations. They did those in the operations to rescue the sperm whale and to capture the crocodile referred to in the question.

(b) There are no locally available experts who are specialised in capturing crocodiles in the wild. After obtaining advice from crocodile experts overseas, AFCD started its attempt in early November this year to capture the crocodile using trapping cages. In mid-November, a local media company made an offer to AFCD to invite the Australian crocodile expert to Hong Kong to assist with the operation. AFCD accepted the offer after vetting the qualification and experience of the expert. The attempt by the Australian expert was not successful. It was not until a few days before his departure from Hong Kong in late November when another media company made an offer to AFCD to invite crocodile experts from the Mainland to assist with the operation. AFCD accepted the offer after going through a similar exercise to vet the qualification and experience of the experts.

(c) AFCD communicates closely with local wild animal experts and voluntary organisations involved in the study or conservation of wild animals and wild animal habitat management. Those include the World Wide Fund For Nature Hong Kong (WWFHK), the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) and the Ocean Park Hong Kong (OPHK). The knowledge and experience AFCD gains through the exchanges are used by the Department in managing, rescuing, capturing and handling wild animals. Moreover, depending on need, KFBG and OPHK also provide AFCD with on-site assistance in certain wild animal rescue operations, and assist the Department in the treatment of captured wild animals that are found to be injured or ill.

Ends/Wednesday, December 17, 2003

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