WILDLIFE WINDOWS ONE

  Hong Kong Island

Diurnal Civet Tom Corlett saw a Masked Palm Civet (Paguma larvata) on 27 Feb at 1.00pm on Lady Clementi's Ride, nr. Wanchai Gap. A trail of blood and Chinese Porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) quills was seen on the road leading to Hok Tsui village on the Cape d'Aguilar peninsula on 5 May by Julia Shaw. These animals are quite regularly seen on this stretch of road, and another was reportedly killed here in 1996. Andy Cornish Bosco Chan saw a road- killed juvenile Barking Deer (Muntiacus reevesi ) on 12 May at 8.00am on the Hill Road flyover on the way to West Point. On 21 Jan at 6.00pm I saw a Crested Goshawk (Accipiter trivirgatus) try to catch a bat twice at HKU campus in Pokfulam. - Wong Lun Cheong Several sightings were made of a Finless Porpoise (Neo-phocaena phocaenoides) between Beaufort Island and Bluff Head, Stanley peninsula on 23 May by Denise McCorry, Cheung Ming and Andy Cornish. George Mitcheson saw a Chinese Leopard Cat (Felis bengalensis) at the southern end of the Dragon's Back walk, crouching under some large boulders. The cat was seen on 14 May at 5.15pm and appeared to be a young animal about 15" long. Yvonne Sadovy

Blue-ringed Octopus in Lobster Bay A Blue-ringed Octopus (Octopus maculosa or Hapalochlaena lunulata) was seen on a colony of zooanthids in Lobster Bay on 15 March. The sighting, by Tracy Clark, occurred at around 1.5m depth. The Blue-ringed Octopus has a maximum span of about 20cm with tentacles extended. This species has a maculo-toxin in its saliva which is more potent than the toxin of any land animal. Respiratory paralysis has been known to cause death within minutes of being bitten. This octopus has been reported from several locations in Hong Kong and may be widespread. Andy Cornish A Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) was present at Cape d'Aguilar around 26 March. It was sighted on several occasions feeding on grass verges around SWIMS. -Andy Cornish I saw a road-killed Masked Palm Civet beside Pokfulam Rd. between Pokfield Rd and Mt Davis Rd. on 12 July. -Richard Corlett

  NT North West

Michael Lau, Steve Has-bian and Graham Reels saw a Seven- banded Civet ( Viverricula indica) in Tai Lam Country Park, between Tsing Fai Tong and Tin Fu Tsai, at about 11.30pm on 23 April. A Javan Mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) was seen crossing Deep Bay Road, Mong Tseng, at 4.00pm on 11 April by Mike Kilburn, Richard Lewthwaite, Dickson Wong and Fox Wong. Wong Lun Cheong reports having spotted 4 mongooses (species unknown) of equal size at the Mai Po fence (between the gate to the boardwalk and Shek Shan) at 8.00am on 3 Oct 1996. Three mongooses were seen again at the same location on 14 Nov 1996.

On 10 March Tom Dahmer and Kwok Hon Kwai saw a Eurasian Hoopoe and Bonelli's Eagle ( Hieraaetus fasciatus) near Ng Tung River in Lo Wu. The same two observers spotted a Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis) at Lok Ma Chau on 17 April and at Ho Sheung Heung on 18 April. A Black-naped Green Woodpecker (Picus canus ) was seen at Ho Sheung Heung on 9 May by Kwok Hon Kai and Lew Young. Kwok Hon Kai saw a Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydro-phasianus chirurgus) at San Tin on 20 May.

  NT North East

New herps for Ping Chau ? I saw a Chinese Skink (Eumeces chinensis) and Changeable Lizards (Calotes versicolor) on Ping Chau, Mirs Bay, on a sunny morning on 25 May. Interestingly these species do not appear to have been reported during the survey which was reported in Porcupine! no. 11 (Summer 1994). Bosco Chan Ron Clibborn-Dyer reports frequent encounters with Barking Deer and Wild Boar near his home at Nam Chung. At 5.30pm on 4 Dec 1996, Richard Lewthwaite and Ben Ostrov saw a large Wild Boar foraging at Pak Sha Tau, Plover Cove.

A Chinese Ferret Badger (Melogale moschata) was seen crossing the road between Luk Keng and Bride's Pool by Ron Clibborn-Dyer, Toby Emmet and friends on 27 Feb 1997. A Barking Deer was seen by Richard Lewthwaite in open, scrubby hillside at Sha Lo Tung at 10.00am on 15 April. A number of Civet sp. scats were found on Crooked Island (Kat O Chau) by Michael Lau and Skip Lazell during a recent field trip (June 1997). Civet seize bird At 8.00pm on 29 May Michael Lau and Graham Reels saw a pair of Masked Palm Civets in the fung shui wood at Lai Chi Wo. The civets had apparently just seized a roosting bird which called out in distress. Graham Reels found a dead Banded Stream Snake (Opisthotropis balteatus) on 6 July at Wu Kau Tang. It measured approx. 70cm.

Lantau & Lamma Tony Henderson saw an Emerald Dove (Chalco-phaps indica) on the path leading to the Field-work Centre, Mui Wo, Lantau, on 4 July. Andy Cornish reports sightings of Checkered Keelback (Xenochrophis piscator) and Bamboo Snake (Trimeresurus albolabris) near Power Station Beach, Lamma.

Sai Kung peninsula A Seven-banded Civet was seen at 10.30pm on 11 April crossing the Sai Sha Rd end of the WSD road to Yung Shue O by Richard Lewthwaite et al. A dead Chinese Porcupine was seen by Jon Leizaola near Wong Shek Pier on 5 March. A Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatis narinari) winged gracefully away from divers at Long Ke Wan on 26 Nov 1996. Depth was about 8m. Andy Cornish

Kadoorie Corner Jan-Jun 1997

Amphibians and Reptiles Mountain Water Snake (Sinonatrix percarinata). Three specimens seen within an hour in a lily pond on 5 April in early afternoon. One had just taken a Brown Tree Frog (Polypedates megacephalus). Large Spotted Cat Snake (Boiga multimaculata) seen near the helipad (400m) on 28 April in the evening. Same species also seen on 26 May and I June. Burmese Python (Python molurus) near Woo's Pavilion on 30 April at 8.30pm. It measured approximately 2m long. Banded Krait (Bungarus fasciatus) near Signpost Summit on 10 May at 10.30am on a rainy day. The Farm's first record of this species. Greater Green Snake (Cyclophiops major). Two juveniles on 11 May near main gate. Two roadkilled adults near the same place on 13 May. Red Mountain Racer (Elaphe porphyracea). One on 28 May at 6.15am near Mountain Lodge; another on 12 June on access road to KARC at 5.30am. Striped Cat Snake (Boiga kraepelini) on 5 June at 9.15pm near Mountain Lodge (500m). New species record for Hong Kong. Taiwan Kukri Snake (Oligodon formosanus) on 11 June at 6.00am near the Raptor Sanctuary. Mammals Masked Palm Civet (Paguma larvata), 6.00am on 13 April at Post Office Pillars. Wild Boar (Sus scrofa), 5.45am on 15 April at upper rain shelter. Barking Deer (Muntiacus reevesi ), 6.00am on 27 May at Post Office Pillars. Chinese Porcupine (Hystrix brachyura), 7.50pm on 27 May at upper canteen. Bosco Chan, Sarbarjit Gurung & Gary Ades

Porcupine! like to encourage readers to submit interesting sightings from Hong Kong's marine environment. Whales, dolphins, turtles, sea snakes, horseshoe crabs and sea-horses are just some of the more intriguing creatures that have been recorded from Hong Kong waters. Please send observations to Andy Cornish (fax 2809 2197) or Gary Ades (fax 2488 3035).

P.24-25

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