'Lantau Reclamation Will Wipe Out Rare Species'

Conservationists are warning that the government’s mega-reclamation project off Lantau would threaten many rare species found in the area.

Seven green groups on Friday jointly called on the administration to drop the plan, which involves building a 1,000-hectare artificial island around Kau Yi Chau in the first phase alone.

Officials have claimed that the proposed reclaimed area is of “less sensitive” ecological value, but the groups disagreed.

They said they’ve found rare birds, reptiles, coral and dolphins in nearby islands and waters.

Woo Ming-chuan, from the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, added that a rare lizard only found on the islands near the proposed reclaimed area will face extinction.

The Bogadek’s Burrowing Lizard is, according to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department website, the only lizard of its kind in Hong Kong. They are small, worm-like creatures that are only found on Sunshine Island, Shek Kwu Chau and Hei Ling Chau.

“This species, even though it seems to be not really related to the reclamation, but once reclamation goes on, or when people live on the island, then you can’t really stop people from going to the islands nearby,” she said.

“So, once there’s more human disturbance, or even, the people might bring other species, or accidentally bring other invasive species on the island, it will probably wipe out the whole population… within Hong Kong or even wipe out the population globally,”she warned.