WWF will host
the 23rd annual Big Bird Race (BBR) to raise urgent
-needed funds for the Mai Po Nature Reserve on 3 and 4 March
2006. A total of 13 birdwatching teams will compete for the
top bird-watching team champion by recording as many different
bird species as possible within 24-hour bird race in Hong
Kong.
With a land area of only 1,095 square kilometres, Hong Kong
is home to over 420 species of birds ¡V roughly a third of
the total number of bird species in the whole of China. The
Big Bird Race is essential to WWF¡¦s efforts to raise awareness
of Hong Kong¡¦s rich bird life, while the donations from the
event are a crucial contribution towards our management of
Mai Po Nature Reserve.
Half of the funds raised will be used to carry out regular
but important maintenance work within the Reserve. This includes
the maintenance of the wetland habitats for wildlife such
as mangroves, waterbird roosting sites and freshwater ponds
as well as public facilities like birdwatching hides and
boardwalks. In view of the recent concern of Avian Flu, a
percentage of the funds raised this year will be specially
allocated for conducting important research on migratory
birds for the benefit of people and birds.
All teams will design their own route, which usually covers
the birdwatching hotspots such as Long Valley, Tsim Bei Tsui
and Tai Po Kau. Teams will also employ different skills such
as hearing the owls or nightjar churring during mid-night
to record bird species. Participating teams include Junior
Police Call Team and Baptist Wing Lung Secondary School Team
formed by young birdwatchers.
The winning team of last year was the Eagles Team recording
145 species of birds. The total number of bird species spotted
last year was 205.
Members of the public are encouraged to contribute to the
protection of key habitats by making donations in a lump
sum or by per bird species to the team(s) they support. For
further information, please visit our website at [www.wwf.org.hk].
Participating Team s & Sponsors :
- The Professionals (Mr. Daniel Bradshaw & Mr. Percy
Weatherall)
- Cathay Pacific All Stars (Cathay Pacific Ltd.)
- Mai Po Team (Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd.)
- Kadoorie Cuckoos (CLP Power Ltd.)
- DHL Team (DHL)
- Hong Kong Electric JPC Team (Hong Kong Electric Co.,
Ltd.)
- Jebsen Eagles ( Jebsen & Co. Ltd .)
- JPMorgan Wandering Tattlers ( JPMorgan Chase Bank )
- Lee Hysan Sparrows ( Lee Hysan Foundation )
- Swire Birdbrains ( The Swire Group Charitable Foundation
)
- mfJebsen JNC Falcons (mfJebsen JNC)
- Sunbirds
The events ponsors include The Bank of East Asia Ltd.,
Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd., Kerry Holdings Ltd., and Modern
Terminals. Special thanks are extended to Aigle, Pentax and
Sino Group.
WWF has been working here in Hong Kong since 1981 to ensure
a better environment for the present and future generations
in Hong Kong through implementing a wide range of focused
conservation and environmental education programmes in Hong
Kong and Mainland China.
Our conservation objectives are to conserve Hong Kong and China's
biodiversity, improve the quality of our environment while
motivating people to act to conserve our natural environment.
Education is one of our key tools in pursuing our objectives.
¡V End ¡V
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