Dear Friends of the Environment,
 

I have just received some information you may or maynot be aware of.

I am sending this letter to you today to bring to your attention the
harsh realities facing the Indo-pacific Humpback Dolphin, also known as
the pink or white dolphin.

These dolphins live in Hong Kong's western Pacific Harbour. This is
their only home, and it is being destroyed by pollution, overfishing and
boat traffic. And that's not the worst of it. They are also now building
a large airport right on the coast where the dolphins live!

The population of this rare and beautiful creature now numbers less than
120!

Time is running out for them.

That's why I am asking the you to become involved and help spread the
desperate message of the plight of the pink dolphin.

My hope is that by making more people aware of this crisis, and by
asking them to send letters to the addresses I have provided, that we
can save the pink dolphin from extinction. We, the self-appointed
care-takers of this planet, can't afford to let these beautiful
creatures dissapear on our watch.
 

Sincerely,
Christine Pramuk

(650)654-4512
e-mail: cpramuk@8ballmediadesign.com

Please visit this site for more information:
http://www.zianet.com/dolphins

 Here are the main reasons the pink dolphins are in great danger:

Reclamation -- Construction of the new airport at Chep Lap Kok and the
North Lantau Expressway have destroyed pristine natural coast and
shallow marine habitat. More dolphin habitat will disappear when
container terminals are built on reclaimed land at Yam O and Lung Kwu
Tan, both areas frequented by the dolphins. Contaminated mud from
reclamation is dumped in the seabed just north of the new airport
platform. Other factors include:

Sewage -- Some 150,000 cubic metres of raw sewage (screened, but not
treated), is dumped into the western harbour area every day. This is
scheduled to reach 700,000 cubic metres a day by the year 2010. Sewage
includes household toxic wastes such as cleaning fluids, bacteria and
viruses that can affect the dolphins directly, and industrial effluent.

Organochlorines -- DDT (a pesticide still used in China) and PCBs (used
in the electronics industry) from unidentified sources have been found
in tissue samples from the dolphins in very high concentrations.
A female often loses her firstborn baby by inadvertently poisoning it
with her milk. Dolphin milk is 40% fat, and toxins such as
organochlorines are stored in fat cells. Therefore the first baby may
get a very concentrated dose of poison. Many of the bodies found in the
last two years have been newborn calves.
 

Overfishing -- Hong Kong's increasingly sophisticated and virtually
unregulated fishing fleet is depleting the dolphins' food supply. Hong
Kong's fish catch peaked in 1989. Several dead dolphins have shown signs
of having been caught and/or tangled in fishing nets.
Because of overfishing, a dolphin will be hungry and have to metabolise
fatty tissues, where the organochlorines and other toxins are stored. In
the dolphin's bloodstream, they will weaken its immune system, rendering
it more likely to get sick (say, from viruses or bacteria in the
sewage). A sick dolphin will be less able to dodge a high-speed ferry,
or stay clear of a fishing net.

Boat traffic -- While dolphins are usually adept at sensing and staying
out of the way of boats, some show signs of collisions. The Urmston Road
shipping channel, with up to 70 vessels an hour, passes right through
areas where dolphins are frequently spotted.
 
 
 

 Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of dolphins are these?

Sousa chinensis, or Chinese White Dolphins, or Indo-pacific Humpback
Dolphins, are one of some 79 cetacean species. They can be found in
geographically isolated populations from South Africa to Australia, and
up the Chinese coast to the Yangtze River. The populations in Southeast
Asia are unique in their colouring: born almost black, they quickly
change to light grey, then slowly become white or pink as the grey
colouration recedes.

Where are they?

Sousa chinensis is almost always found near coastlines, and usually near
a major river brackish (estuarine) water favoured by this population.
Young males may wander quite far from the group, but the population as a
whole is unlikely to move to another location, no matter how degraded
the environment becomes.

This population is usually found to the north of Lantau Island, and
occasionally to the southwest, near the Soko Islands, and the southeast,
near Peng Chau. The western, northern, and southern extents of their
range are not known, though pink dolphins have been sighted around
Macau.

How many dolphins are there?

Estimates range from fewer than 100 to around 150. Current studies are
limited to Hong Kong Territorial waters, so these estimates do not
consider the total population in the Pearl River Delta.

How long do they have?

The birth and death rates, like the population size, are unknown. There
were 11 confirmed deaths in 1995, 10 as of November 1996. These are
either bodies washed up and photographed, bodies photographed dead at
sea, or babies who have disappeared from their mother's side. More
dolphins could have sunk without a trace, or washed up on remote coasts,
or decomposed before being found.

In South African populations, females reach sexual maturity at around
10, and they have one baby every three years at most.

Have you noticed a decrease in the number of dolphins?

No, but that doesn't necessarily mean the number is not decreasing. Hong
Kong Dolphinwatch has not been doing systematic survey work; we just go
out and look for dolphins. Dr. Jefferson of the Ocean Park Conservation
Foundation, who is doing systematic survey work, says that by the end of
his study in early 1998, he will be able to detect a 10% decline in
population with 60% certainty, and a 20% decline with 92% certainty.
Current estimates are that the population within Hong Kong waters at any
given time varies from 85 to 165 (over 130 individuals have been
identified, though at least two of these have died, and probably more).
Ten dead dolphins were found in Hong Kong in 1997, the true death rate
is probably higher (see "Ninth carcass", this issue).

 What can You do to save the dolphins?

Report sightings -- Routine sightings: fax to the World Wide Fund for
Nature, 2845-2734. Urgent cases (dead dolphins washed up, or dolphins
being sold in the market) call the

Swire Institute for Marine Science at 2809-2179,

Thomas Jefferson at 9199 0847, C.C. Lay at 2733-2129, or the dolphin
hotline: 2377-1661. Report any illegal dumping, dynamite fishing, or
violations of the dolphin sanctuary (trawl fishing, high-speed boats, or
water sports in the waters around Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau)
immediately to the Marine Police. Write letters -- ask for our
Letter-Writing Guide Protect sea life -- Eat less seafood, and never buy
coral or shells, or take them from the seabed.

Reduce pollution --

Conserve water. This helps sewage treatment facilities operate more
efficiently.  Avoid using toxic cleaning products. Many cleaning agents
sold for household use contain heavy metals and other toxins. Soap,
vinegar, and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) will clean almost
everything. Other toxic materials, such as paint, solvents, and oil
should be disposed of properly, not dumped down the drain. Look for
detergents that are biodegradable. Call Friends of the Earth (2528-5588)
for more information.
 
Don't litter. Even if you throw it on the land, it usually ends up in
the sea. Use garbage bins. If you're really motivated, join a beach
clean-up or organise one yourself (call Regional Services or Urban
Services for help). Eat organic vegetables. DDT, still used in China as
a pesticide, has been found in dolphin tissue in alarming
concentrations. Encouraging pesticide-free farming will have
far-reaching benefits.

Learn more -- Join any or all of the green groups listed below.

Friends of the Earth (Hong Kong): Tel: 2528-5588, Fax: 2529-2777. Ask
about the Water Action Group, which focuses on issues such as sewage,
reclamation, and marine pollution.

World Wide Fund for Nature (Hong Kong): Tel: 2526-1011, Fax: 2845-2734.
Ask about the "Adopt a Dolphin" programme. Hong Kong Marine Conservation
Society: Tel: 2851-4468, Fax: 2851-4463.

Green Power: Working on a dolphin education pack for schools. Tel:
2314-2662, Fax: 2314-3661.

Green Lantau Association: Tel: 2985-5099. Monitors airport-related
development and other issues affecting marine environment around Lantau.

Hong Kong Dolphinwatch, GPO Box 4102, Hong Kong. Telephone: (852)
2984-1414 Fax: (852)2984-7799. E-MAIL to dolphins@hk.super.net
 

 Write to the Chief Executive:
Tung Chee-Hwa
PRC SAR Chief Executive's Office
1109-1111 Asia Pacific Finance Tower
Citibank Plaza, 3 Garden Rd.

(the salutation should be "Dear Mr. Tung").

Or fax: (852)2521-1868

Write to:
The Director
Agriculture and Fisheries Department
Canton Road Government Offices
393 Canton Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Or fax: (852)2311-3731

Ask for: Speedy implementation of the dolphin sanctuary and marine
reserves; publication of a plan to fulfill Hong Kong's
obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (identify and
monitor biological and genetic resources, set up
protected areas to safeguard them, develop national strategies, plans,
or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity); monitoring of fish stocks and regulation to
prevent overfishing.

Write to:
The Director
Environmental Protection Department
Southorn Centre, 24/F
130 Hennessy Road
Hong Kong.

Or fax: (852)2838-2155

Ask for: Strict monitoring of developments in or near coastal areas of
North Lantau, Sha Chau, and Castle Peak; upgrading of
sewage treatment for airport and North Lantau new towns (present
proposals call for preliminary screening only), and for
outfalls in Urmston Road area. How can you help save the dolphins?

 What happens to those letters?

"Dear Mr. Leverett,

I refer to your letter of 13 June 1997 and the attached letters from
your passengers and other interested parties to the Chief
Executive. The Chief Executive's Office referred the letters to me.

We take our environment seriously and have taken a number of measures to
protect the dolphins. We have highlighted these
measures in our previous letters to you and other interested parties,
and would like to keep you unpdated on the current
situation. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Ordinance has been
enacted and will be in force soon to require EIA
studies to be done for major developments. We have established a
chemical waste treatment plant and are constructing a sewage
collection and treatment network. We have established the Lung Kwu Chau
and Sha Chau Marine Park in which vessel
movements and fishing activities are controlled. We are looking into
other sites to be designated as marine parks for the better
protection of the marine enviironment. A study group for the
conservation and protection of the Chinese White Dolphins has
been established as a technical sub-group under the Hong Kong &
Guangdong Environmental Protection Liaison Group.

Thank you for your interest in the matter. I would like to request you
to pass this letter to all those who have written in. Perhaps
you can publish it in the Dolphinwatcher. This would save a lot of paper
and help protect the environment. I would also like to
take this opportunity to request your passengers and other interested
parties to help reduce the amount of paper they use by for
example signing letters in groups or by using e-mail.

Yours sincerely,
(Ms S M Hung)
for Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands"

 "Dear Ms. Hung,

Thank you for your letter of July 7 regarding the letters to Mr. Tung. I
have recently sent another 1235 letters, which you
should be receiving in due course. This brings the total sent to Tung
and his predecessor to 4557.

Some brief points on the topics you mention:

The EIA process did not prevent the Aviation Fuel Receiving Facility,
the Contaminated Mud Disposal Pits, or any of the
reclamation projects from being developed in the dolphins' habitat.

See 'EPD argues for minimal sewage treatment' in this issue for comments
on sewage treatment.

The inadequacies of the Marine Park have been discussed in previous
issues of this newsletter. We know of no plans, or even
studies, for further marine parks. If you would like to provide a list
of these, we would be happy to report them.

We would be happy to report any resolutions, declarations,
recommendations, or even actions made or taken by the study
group you refer to.

We appreciate your concern for saving paper. This last batch of letters
weighed 3.5 kilograms, equivalent to a couple of copies
of the Saturday classifieds. The reason we give people individual
letters to sign is so that they have a chance to read them. We
know that the Chief Executive is unlikely to change his mind no matter
how many signatures he sees. But we're foolish enough
to believe that if enough ordinary people get the message, something may
happen.

Yours sincerely,
(Bill Leverett)
Hong Kong Dolphinwatch"
 

 SAMPLE LETTER

Feel free to use this or modify it in any way. Make copies, distribute
them, etc.

 
Tung Chee-Hwa
PRC SAR Chief Executive's Office
1109-1111 Asia Pacific Finance Tower
Citibank Plaza, 3 Garden Rd.

_____________________ (Date)

Dear Mr. Tung,
 
The Chinese White Dolphin, Sousa chinensis, was an excellent choice as a
symbol for Hong Kong's return to Chinese soveriegnty. Not only do the
dolphins straddle the border between Hong Kong and China, both
geographically and ecologically; they also serve as an indicator of what
is happening to the marine environment of the Pearl River Delta, and the
human population which depends so heavily on the marine environment.
I hope the choice of the dolphin as the mascot indicates a willingness
on the part of Hong Kong's new government to give a high priority to
environmental issues, and improve on the previous administration's
record.
China has an obligation under the Convention on Biological Diversity to
identify and monitor biological and genetic resources, set up protected
areas to safeguard them, and develop national strategies, plans or
programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity.  The Chinese White Dolphins are an important part of that
diversity.
The Chinese White Dolphins are a part of Hong Kong's — and China's —
heritage. Seeing them is an unforgettable experience; I would not want
future generations to be deprived of their chance.
I hope that you will do everything in your power to protectthe
dolphins.  I urge you to:

* Upgrade treatment for all sewage in Hong Kong, and urge the same for
areas draining into the Pearl River.
 
* Review all reclamation plans.  Reclamation is a triple threat: it
directly eliminates marine habitat; sand fill often comes from the
seabed, destroying more habitat; and often it causes relocation of
contaminated sediments, which in Hong Kong are currently disposed of in
an area frequented by dolphins.
 
* Strengthen and extend the marine parks, which are presently
inadequate. Large  areas of natural coastline should be kept clear of
all marine traffic to allow fish stocks to recover.
 
* Work closely with provincial and national level organisations to share
knowledge, eliminate pollution sources, set up conservation areas, and
enforce laws.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Yours respectfully,
 

___________________________________(Signature)

____________________________________(Name)

___________________________________

____________________________________(Address)