New Centre To Probe Marine Strandings, Deaths

The Ocean Park Conservation Foundation has opened a new facility – the first of its kind in Asia – that it says will help it address the “alarming” number of cases of dolphins and other marine life stranded in Hong Kong waters.

Scientists from the foundation have already been notified of nearly 40 stranding cases this year. They say the figure raises fresh concerns about ecological damage and the survival of Chinese white dolphins, finless porpoises and other marine life.

Mandy Lo, a scientific officer with the marine animals stranding programme, says they typically handle between 20 and 50 cases a year.

Lo says there are three main human-affected reasons for strandings and deaths.

“Entanglement, we have a lot of ghost nets and a lot of different kind of rubbish that can entangle a dolphin, so that could cause suffocation or they will disable their mobility.

“The second one would be boat trauma. So in Hong Kong, you see boats everywhere… and Chinese white dolphins, we see scars or huge injuries on their tails that resemble propeller cuts.

“The third one would be marine pollution.”

Lo and her colleagues are hoping the new Hong Kong Marine Life Stranding and Education Centre will help them save the lives of stranded sea life, and to better understand why the bodies of dolphins and turtles are washing up on our shores.

“We will provide this data to the government, to encourage them to do more conservation work for the marine environment that we have,” Lo said.

She also hopes the public will see this evidence and throw their weight behind protecting local waters.