2) Hong Kong Tai Po Kau Herping
Here, I was back to Hong Kong again and started my 2nd attempt to herp for Hong Kong Warty Newts. My first attempt was documented on "In Search of Hong Kong Warty Newt (2009 January)" (
http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...search-hong-kong-warty-newt-2009-january.html).
I have limited time to herp, but I really wanted to find Hong Kong warty newt in person in the wild. I knew that there is a great chance to find newt in Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, which I have visited in the first attempt with failure. This time, I went earlier, by around a month, on December 24th with my girl friend. I started searching for newts in a open and wide area with calm water (Location A). This location is relatively easy to access and directly down stream of very rocky stream area. I have also attempted to search for this newt in my first attempt at the exact spot. However, I failed to find one. However, a monkey came very near me and drank water from the stream. Don't know if it is wise to assume that monkey might prey on the newts as food? Or the possible poison would deter them.
Then I moved a little bit more down stream, 50 meters, and continued my search (Location B). At first glance, there was no sign of newts. So, we focused on searching for the fishes and other wildlife in the area. This area has clam water. Leaf litters line at the floor of the stream and also served as the main energy source that sustained the life in the stream. You may also check my previous post about my first attempt that I mentioned a field guide, many fish species mentioned in the field guide were observed in Location B (Pseudogastromyzon myersi in particular was identified). Also observed a type of aquatic snail (possibly Brotia hainanensis) and an insect (Ptilomera tigrina).
As soon as I tried to poke the roots branched out at the bank of the stream into the water area, since I suspected that newt might be interested to seek shelter in such place, my girl friend noticed a Hong Kong Warty Newt. We netted it out and took a series of photos. Based on observation, it should be a healthy male. When we released it, it seek shelter immediately to under a leaf litter, then swam to under a rock.
Then I talked to a local Park Ranger for a long while. I, at first, did not reveal my sighting of the Hong Kong Warty Newt, as it is a threatened species that is illegal to disturb. Later on, he suggested it is okay to take it out and take photo but not to collect them. I asked that there seems to be a very small population of Hong Kong Warty Newts in this Nature Reserve. He suggested that there might be a lot of illegal collecting in here. Especially, people are collecting Three-banded box terrapin (Cuora trifasciata) and selling them in black market as more than one or two thousands (USD) each.
I later on found out from a family close friend that his brother, a local police, has collected three terrapins by traps and sold them for a good deal a long time before. It is not hard to imagine why such species is becoming more rarer than ever and also how difficult it is to protect wildlife species for illegal harvesting.
I think since I am not a Local in Hong Kong (I am was born in Hong Kong and speak their language, but my behavior and appearance is more foreign and I told him so), the ranger told me a good site to find Hong Kong Warty Newt. He gave me a map for free and also taught me how to go there. This site (location C), according to the ranger and also later on by my observation, has abundant number of Hong Kong Warty Newts. However, since I would like to avoid local people to collect the newts and destroy the population, I will not reveal the exact location or other detailed information. I will talk about Location C in Section 4. I will also make a comparison between Location B(this site) and Location C (later day) in Section 4.
Photos:
1) & 2) Hong Kong Warty Newt found
3) Hong Kong warty Newt released, see how it seek the nearest shelter immediately.
4) aquatic snail (possibly Brotia hainanensis)
5) Monkey that visited the stream
6) & 7) Location A
8) Location B, the roots of the tree near the stream bank. The Newt was found hiding among the roots.