Hong Kong Wetland Park

Chinese
title=Hong Kong Wetland Park
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pic=Wetland_Hong_Kong.jpg
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picsize=
t=香港濕地公園
s=香港湿地公园
p=Xiānggǎng Shīdì Gōngyuán
y=heung1 gong2 sap1 dei6 gung1 yun4

Hong Kong Wetland Park is a conservation, education and tourism facility, located at the northern part of Tin Shui Wai, in Yuen Long. It was intended to be an ecological mitigation area (EMA) for the wetlands lost due to Tin Shui Wai New town development.

In 1998, a project named International Wetland Park and Visitor Centre Feasibility Study was initiated by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Hong Kong Tourism Board with a view to expanding the EMA to a wetland ecotourism attraction. After concluding that it was feasible to develop a Wetland Park at the EMA site without compromising its intended ecological mitigation functions and the development of the Wetland Park will also enhance the ecological function of the EMA to a world-class conservation, education and tourism facility, the concerned parties started the Wetland Park Project, which is one of the Millennium projects by the Administrations.

Overview

The Hong Kong Wetland Park comprises a 10,000 square meter large visitor centre, Wetland Interactive World, and a 60-hectare Wetland Reserve. The Wetland Interactive World has themed exhibition galleries, a theatre, a souvenir shop, an indoor play area (swamp adventure) and a resource centre. The themed exhibition galleries with gross floor area ranging from 250 meter square to 1,200 meter square showcase the importance of wetland on biodiversity, civilization and conservation. Visitors can learn more about the native flora and fauna of Hong Kong through the animals and models displayed in the Living Wetland Gallery, such as False gharial, mouse deer and green turtle.

The Wetland Reserve consists of re-created habitats specially designed for water fowls and other wildlife. The Wetland Discovery Centre, located in the Wetland Reserve, provides visitors more hands-on experience on local wetlands. Other facilities include Stream Walk, Succession Walk, Mangrove Boardwalk and three Bird Hides situated next to the fish pond, mudflat and riverside, leading visitors to venture different habitats of various wildlife such as Fiddler Crab, Mudskipper and the rare Black-faced Spoonbill.

Objectives

* To demonstrate the diversity of Hong Kong's wetland ecosystem and highlight the need to conserve them;
* To create a visitor attraction of international status, catering both for the general public and visitors, and also for those with special interest in wildlife and ecology;
* To provide an attraction which will diversify the range of visitor experience in Hong Kong for visitors from abroad;
* To serve the recreational needs of local residents of the adjoining urban areas in the Northwest New Territories;
* To provide a facility that will both complement and supplement those offered at the Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve;
* To provide opportunities for education and public awareness.To reduce pollution

Pui Pui' Home

"Pui Pui" is a transliteration of the Chinese characters in the crocodile's Chinese name, which is a pun indicating that it came from Shan Pui River and is the apple of the public's eye.

On 29 August 2006 she was moved into her landscaped enclosure and can be easily viewed by the public. Pui Pui’s Home was designed to provide the reptile with a healthy and comfortable living environment.

The outdoor enclosure is about 8 metres by 9 metres, of which 70% is pool area. With a maximum depth of one metre, the pool is landscaped with plants to provide sheltered areas, hiding places and basking areas for the reptile. Outdoor facilities include infra-red heaters, a heat pad and a weighing scale. Water in the pool is continuously circulated through a filtration system.

Transportation

, and the Wetlands station belongs to Zone 5A for single-ride ticket.

Routes

*705: Tin Shui Wai Circular (Anti-Clockwise)
*706: Tin Shui Wai Circular (Clockwise)
* 761P: Yuen Long to Tin Wing (Limited service: departing from each termini every 30 minutes 1000-1500 daily)

Gallery

ee also

* Pui Pui
* List of buildings and structures in Hong Kong
* Hong Kong Country Parks & Special Areas

External links

* [http://www.wetlandpark.com Wetland Park website]
* [http://www.metstudio.com MET Studio website]
* [http://www.hkoutdoors.com/new-territories/hk-wetland-park.html Hong Kong Wetland Park Weird but not Wonderful]
*Hong Kong Wetland Park [http://www.uli.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Winners_and_Finalists2&CONTENTID=108324&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm Awards for Excellence: 2007 Winner] - Urban Land Institute