The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...
Walk For Nature 5-6 Nov 2022
In 2021, “Walk For Nature” encouraged everyone to slow down our fast-paced urban lifestyles by exploring Mai Po’s beautiful wetlands. Building on that sentiment, this year’s Walk For Nature will explore the mystery and magic of the science behind Mai Po’s wetland ecology, revealing the secrets of this natural wonder.
Inhabited by huge numbers of birds and other types of wildlife, Mai Po Nature Reserve has some of the richest biodiversity in Hong Kong. There are six distinct habitat types – gei wai (traditional shrimp ponds), freshwater ponds, intertidal mudflats, mangroves, reedbeds, and fishponds. These wetland habitats host a myriad of creatures and provide important ecosystem services to humans: Look at how mangroves protect coastal areas from storm surges during typhoons, for example.
This year’s “Walk for Nature” will introduce you to the remarkable cast of unique wildlife characters at Mai Po. With the theme “Endless Possibilities @ Mai Po”, We will show you how we captured photos of the elusive Eurasian otter with our camera traps, explain how buffaloes create open freshwater marshes, and uncover many other marvels. Through science, research and monitoring, we reveal the complex and enduring relationships between these wetlands, their species and human beings, and demonstrate how new technologies create new knowledge and open up new possibilities. Through these activities, we hope to show you the endless possibilities that healthy, thriving biodiversity creates for wildlife and human beings, and shed light on how places with rich biodiversity benefit people for a liveable environment.
As always, the funds raised from Walk for Nature will go towards promoting WWF’s education and conservation programs.
| Regular ticket price (HKD) | Junior ticket price (HKD) (ages 5-17) |
Senior ticket price (HKD) (Age: 65+) (Must provide senior citizen card) |
| $550 | $450 | $450 |
| Combination type | Total price (HKD) |
| Four-person discount (four adults) | $2,000.00 |
| Family package discount (two adults and one child) | $1,395.00 |
| Family fun package (two adults and two children) | $1,800.00 |
Research and Monitoring
- Conducting long-term monitoring programmes for conservation targets and other environmental indicators in the Reserve like shorebirds, Ardeids (Egrets) and the Hong Kong Bent-winged firefly
- Conducting research that will help improve habitat management and species conservation in the Reserve and the wider Deep Bay area
- Exploring cutting-edge tools and technologies for wetland conservation
- Collaborating with researchers and wetland managers from around the region and overseas
Routine monitoring programmes
- Black-faced spoonbills
- Anatidae (Ducks)
- Shorebirds
- Ardeid (Egrets)
- Reedbed-dependent birds
- Collared crows
- Hong Kong Bent-winged firefly
- Odonata (Dragonflies and damselflies)
- Water quality
Habitat management and species conservation research
- Conservation of the Eurasian Otter (in progress). Otters are a primary conservation target and a wetland conservation flagship. The team conducts regular camera trap and sign surveys to map their distribution and estimate their population in the Reserve and the surrounding area.
- Freshwater habitat enhancement through buffalo grazing (completed). The research results show that water buffaloes effectively control the height of vegetation and maintain a wet, marshy habitat that supports a greater diversity of wildlife.
Using advanced tools and technologies for wetland conservation
- Unmanned aerial vehicles to obtain aerial photos that monitor habitats
- Satellite tracking to study the migration routes of migratory birds and identify critical sites for protection
- Internet of Things devices to improve the efficiency and accuracy of environmental monitoring, such as real-time water level sensors
- Artificial intelligence to facilitate automatic animal detection and identification
Collaborations with researchers and wetland managers
You will have the option to uncover even more secrets about Mai Po, through our Mangrove Boardwalk Tour and the Hidden Treasures of Southern Reserve.
On the Mangrove Boardwalk Tour, accompanied by a professional eco-guide, you will walk through a magnificent mangrove forest, enjoy beautiful views over Inner Deep Bay from a floating bird hide and catch unique glimpses of a complex, thriving mudflat ecology.
The Hidden Treasures of Southern Reserve is a new guided tour for 2022 that explores several fabled wetland sights. You’ll learn how we bring buffaloes to Pond 24 and how these marvellous animals change the pond’s habitat. You’ll also hear fascinating stories about how the Mai Po Conservation team carries out its research and monitoring work.
Eurasian otters are mainly nocturnal. Their mysterious and almost invisible night-time activities make them very difficult to track. In fact, most people don’t even know that Eurasian otters live in Hong Kong. This year’s W4N invites visitors to take part in a Eurasian otter colouring competition. After the event, every entry will be uploaded to the Internet and a public vote will determine the winners, all of whom will receive a gift. Bring your inventive mind and nature-loving heart and help raise people’s awareness of otters!
