ETV “Secondary Level Environmental Education Series” Programme

Operation Save Wildlife (Episode 2)

Teachers’ Notes

Target Audience Secondary 1 - 7

Target subject S1-3Science, S4-7 Biology, S6-7 Liberal Studies,

S1-7 Environmental Education

Duration 20 minutes

Production Aim

This programme is a teaching resource produced especially for enriching the classroom teaching in S1 level of the Syllabus for Science (Secondary 1 – 3) prepared by the Curriculum Development Council (1998).

The content of the programme serves to illustrate the following parts of the Syllabus：

Unit 2 Looking at Living Things

Topic2.5–Endangered species: Key Points‘Endangered species’,‘Wild Life’,‘Effects of man’s activities on the environment’ and ‘Conversation’,and Core Content‘Inter-dependence of life, e.g. predation’, ‘Effects of man’s activities on wild life’, and ‘Importance of protecting wild life’.

Key Points

  1. An introduction tothe work and achievement of the Government, private organizations as well individuals on saving wildlife,
  2. Explanation of the importance of protection of wildlife, using the concept of an ecological pyramid; and
  3. Promotion of the attitude to show respect and care of wild life.

Content Outline

This programme is a sequel of ‘Operation Save Wildlife Episode 1’ and is divisible into 3segments as follows:

  1. Missions Impossible

Using four actual cases, the film speaks positively of the achievements of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) officers as well as scientists from private organizations in saving wildlife.

Case 1: Propagating the Birdwing Butterfly

The birdwing butterfly is the only wild invertebrates protected bythe Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance in Hong Kong. The caterpillars of these butterfliesfeed only on a plant called the India birthwort. Unfortunately, India birthwort is extremely rare in Hong Kong, and there are only a few patches still growing at the hill foot of the Pat Sin Leng range, as well as of Kwun Yam Shan, LamChuenValley, both in Tai Po, the NewTerritories; the former site is designated fordevelopment, and will soon vanished. The birdwing butterfly in Hong Kong is thus facing the danger of extinction.

Ms. Judy KIU Kin-yan, Assistant Manager of the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden presents a join project carried out in the early 1990s between the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden and the Hong KongOceanPark to breed these butterflies. India birthwort was successfully grown at the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden and also at the Tai Lung Farm in Sheung Shui; thereby a stable population of the birdwing butterfly is maintained, preserving a species almost facing extinction for Hong Kong.

Case 2: Save the Pitcher Plant

The pitcher plant that liveson northern LantauIsland and Tung Chung is very rare, and is protected by the Forestry Regulations of Hong Kong. In the early 90s, the Hong KongInternationalAirport was constructed in Chek Lap Kok, connecting roads between the Airport and the city were built at Tung Chung, and along the northern LantauIsland; the pitcher plants there were faced with the danger of extinction.

Mr. TAM Tse-wai, Wetland Park Officer of the AFCD tells the story of how officers of the department arranged to have these plants transplanted to, and preserved in, the marshes in one of the valleys inside the NorthLantauCountryPark.

Case 3: Exodus of Tree Frogs

Romer’s tree frog is a species unique to Hong Kong. They only live on some remote inlands in the Territory like LautauIsland, the former ChekLapKokIsland, and Po Toi Island, and in small quantity; they are also protected by the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance. In the early 90s, the Hong KongInternationalAirport was constructed in Chek Lap Kok, and the frogs were faced with the danger of extinction.

Dr. Michael LAUWai-neng, Senior Conservation Officer of the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden presents the story of how he and other people concerned arranged to have the frogs captured, and moved, temporarily, to Hong Kong University; and how the frogs were later released back to natural environment at seven locations both on Hong Kong Island and in the New Territories.

Case 4: A Natural Stream Reconstructed

In recent years, construction work has been carried out by the Drainage Services Department to improve the river courses throughout the NewTerritories. Improved concrete river courses, however, do little to sustain life of freshwater organisms living in these rivers, and may induce crisis towards the extinction of such organisms.

To prevent such crises from happening, Dr. BoscoCHAN Pui-lok, Senior Conservation Officer of the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden has successfully persuaded the Drainage Services Department to demolish the finished concrete river course of Tong Fuk River in Lantau Island, and replace it with a simulated natural river bed designed by Dr. CHAN himself, so as to maintain a living condition capable of sustaining wildlife in the river.

  1. Action for the Sustainability of Species

The film, using five examples, points out that the purpose of saving wildlife by the AFCD and experts from the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden is to ensure the continuity of the endangered species.

Case 1: Story of a Chinese New Year Flower Bush

There is a natural Chinese New Year flower grove inside the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden. Dr. Lawrence CHAU Kam-chiu, Senior Manager of the Garden points out that this primary grove already existed in its present location when the Garden was built back in the 50s, and it continues to thrive due to the care taken by the Garden’s staff. Dr. CHAU points out further that this is an excellent example of preserve wildlife in its natural habitat, and that preserve wildlife in its natural habitat is the best method of preservation of wild animals and plants.

Case 2: Conversation of the Chinese White Dolphin

The ocean area surrounded byLantauIsland, Lung Kwu Chau and Sha Chau has always been a habitat of the Chinese white dolphins. In the early 90s, the Hong KongInternationalAirport was constructed in Chap Lap Kok. Many of the dolphins were affected, and found dead in the area during the period of construction. Experts were invited by the Government to investigate, and to protect the dolphins. The American expert on dolphins thinks the best way to achieve this is by preserve these dolphins in their natural habitat; he therefore suggests the establishment of the Sha Chau and LungKwuChauMarinePark, enclosing the ocean area where the dolphins congregate and feed, thus providing the necessary protection needed by these animals.

Case 3: AParadise for Green Turtles

Based on the principle of preserving wildlife in their natural habitats, the Government has recentlymade Sham Wan on LammaIsland a Restricted Area to protectthe endangered green turtles that often come to the beach to lay eggs. The AFCD has established and manned a station on the beach to observe and to protect the turtles. If the turtles happen to lay their eggs in the end of the summer season and the baby turtles may get damaged when hatched in cold weather, the eggs will be taken to laboratories for artificial hatching, and the young turtles returned to the ocean next summer.

Mr. CHAN Kin-fung, Nature Conservation Officer of the AFCD explains the studies on tracing the green turtles carried out by the AFCD in the Huidong county of Guangdong and in Hong Kong in 2001 and 2002 respectively. A signal generator is attached on the shell of each of four of theturtles;the turtles are released back into the ocean and are traced through satellite. After more than half a year, three of the turtles have been located in Hainan, while one has been located as far as Ryukyu Islands in Japan. Mr. CHAN also presents the importance of these studies in preserving the species.

Case 4: A Project to Conserve theWild Terrapins and Tortoises

The endangered species of three-banded box terrapin in Southern China has almost been totally wiped out by humans. Rivers and streams in Hong Kongare the last wild habitat of these animals. Hong Kong is also the last place where the Chinese pond terrapin and the Reeves’ terrapin could still be found. In view of this, a project has been launched by the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden trying to ensure the continuity of these wild turtles. Mr. Paul CROW, Conservation Officer of the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden who is in charge of the project explains the ways to distinguish three-banded box terrapin, pond terrapin and Reeve’s terrapin; and the danger for the survival of the wild turtles in Asia.

Case 5: WhyMuse We Conserve the Wild Animals?

Using an ecological pyramid of the masked palm civet cat, Mr. SUEN Kai-yuen, founder of the Wildlife Conservation Foundation, explains the phenomenon of inter-dependence among organisms in the wild, and the importance of protecting them.

  1. EducationPlays a Key Role

The best way to stop people from hunting down and killing wildlife for making profit is to familiarize the people of Hong Kong with how these animals and plants, and their products, look like; to increase their awareness not to buy these organisms and products; and furthermore, to report to the authority those who trade in these items.

It is with these in mind that the AFCD has established inside its headquarters an Endangered Species Resource Centre at 6/F., Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices to show, free, to the public animals and plants and their products confiscated by both the AFCD and the Customs and Excise Department.

Mr. RudyH.K. CHAN, Field Officer of the AFCD explains the purpose of the establishment of the Centre. He also asks the public’s help in reporting those who smuggle and trade in the endangered species and their products.

Suggestions for Utilization

  1. The entire programme may be shown to S1students in one session to serve as a way of consolidation after the teaching of the related topics in the syllabus.
  2. The programme may be shown in one session in an S4/5 Biology lesson on Section VI ‘Inter-relationship of organisms with each other and with their environment’, Topic 6(c) ‘conservation’as background information for discussion.
  3. The programme may be shown in one session in alesson on Section V ‘Inter-relationship of Organisms with Each Other and with Their Environment’, Topic 5 ‘Man’s responsibility for environmental protection and conservation’ of the Biology (Advanced Level) Syllabus, or on Section VI ‘Man and the Environment’, Topic 2 ‘Man’s responsibility for environmental protection and conservation’ of the Biology (Advanced Supplementary Level) Syllabus as background information for discussion.
  4. The programme may be shown in one session in an S6/7Liberal Studieslesson on ‘Module: Environmental Studies, Issue 1.6: Protecting endangered plant and animal species’ as background information for discussion.
  5. While implementing cross-curricular on extra-curricular teaching from S1 to S7, as stipulated in the ‘Guidelines of Environmental Education in Schools’, teachers may show the programme in one session as a way to initiate discussion among students.

Suggested Activities

(The following activities are suggested for teachers’ reference only. Teachers may wish to select suitable activities according to students’ abilities, the learning environment of the class, and the teaching time available.)

Preparation before viewing the programme

Teachers may discuss with students and ask them to recall materials in the last episode of this programme before asking them to watch this episode.

Activities after viewing the programme

  1. Teachers maydiscuss with the students why scientists in both government and non-government organisationsmake such a great effort toprotect and save wild life.
  2. Teachers may askthe students to browse through the Internet* for information on the protection of endangered species and the maintenance of wildlife, and ask the students to print the information out for class discussion.

*Information on the protection of endangered species and the maintenance of wildlife could be found at these websites:

  1. Teachers may get in touch with the AFCD to arrange for visits by students to the Endangered Species Resource Centre.

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