國際體驗 · 環球視野

沙巴暑期野外生態考察團

體驗沙巴野外生態保育

2015年6月22-29日

四位國際學院應用科學學部環境保育學專修副學士同學早前到馬來西亞沙巴山打根參與野外生態考察團。同學有機會接觸多種稀有野生動物，近距離觀察牠們在棲息地的生活習性，並了解當地生態導賞的運作和現正開展的保育工作。

同學跟隨資深導遊探索了不少野生動物棲息地，有幸近距離觀察到不少以往只能夠從動物紀錄片才見到的稀珍動物，例如極少被人發現的扁頭豹貓。

是次旅程之後，同學們對周遭環境和野生動物變得更為敏感，懂得細意欣賞日常生活中所遇見的花鳥蟲魚。更重要的是培養出對環境保育的意識，和對大自然萌生的尊重。

Encountering the Precious

YU Cheong Hang, Arthur （Environmental Conservation Studies, Year 2）

Before visiting Sabah, we knew very little about the wildlife there. During the field trip, I paid particular attention to the surrounding sounds and kept on searching the tree tops with my eyes. During the night river cruise, a mysterious wild cat was found along the river bank. It’s not easy to find a cat in the dark, and we stayed at the spot for about 30 minutes and I used my camera to capture as many photos as possible. We found out that it’s a flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps) which is listed as an endangered species by IUCN, the World Conservation Union. Very few people in the world have observed them directly in the wild. Their population size of mature individuals is estimated to be less than 2,500 in the world!

During the trip, I was able to apply my skills to wildlife photography, taking hundreds of amazing photos. We kept on practising wildlife watching during the trip, not just from the riverside, but also on the street. At the end of the trip, I have developed confidence to identify some bird species accurately.

A lesson of Conserving Wildlife

YU Wai Ha, Fish （Environmental Conservation Studies, Year 2）

Unlike Hong Kong which is full of skyscrapers, Sabah is the place that allows people to be closer to the natural environment. The week in Sandakan provided me with a very nice chance to enjoy our nature, explore the rain forest and meet different wild creatures.

We lived in a resort which was built along the riverside in the rainforest for a few days. It was so relaxing to be surrounded by nature and exotic wildlife. The river cruise at dawn and dusk along Kinabatangan River was a great time to watch the daily life of many animals, including hornbills, hawks, crocodiles and different species of monkeys. They may come out at anytime and anywhere, so I have to pay attention to the movements or sounds from the riverside or forest. Gradually, I have built up sensitivity for finding wildlife.

We also visited some conservation centres, including the Speilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Sun Bear Conservation Centre. Therefore, it’s not just an opportunity for me to see diverse stunning wildlife, but also a lesson to learn about conservation of endangered species.