Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong

[#RunforSurvival 📢 Calling all conservation heroes 🦸🏾♀️🦸🏻♂️!] 📢OPCFHK Conservation Ambassador, Priscilla Wong, is calling all “Conservation Heroes” to join the challenge and participate in the Run for Survival 2024! This year, with the theme ”saving giant panda’s habitat together!“, the annual charity run will be held on 24 November. The funds raised from this event will support OPCFHK’s local and Asian wildlife conservation projects🐼. So this run is not just another running race; it’s also a chance to contribute to conservation efforts! ✨What are you waiting for? Sign up now! Run for Survival 2024🐼 📆 24.11.2024 (Sun) 🕗 6:30am – 9:30am (races starting from 7:15am) 📍 Ocean Park Hong Kong and Water World Ocean Park Hong Kong 🙋 Register now: https://bit.ly/47iyaq9 #香港海洋公園保育基金 #OPCFHK

Thankyou for joining us at the mudflat cleanup last week in Shui Hau🙌🏻. Let’s continue to make waves together!! ✨🌊 Each and every cleanup matters and contributes to wildlife conservation. 🌱

[Registration opens: Run for Survival 2024 🏃🏻] Registration for “Run for Survival 2024 🐼” is now open! The race will take place in Ocean Park Hong Kong and Water World on 24 Nov 2024. This year's charity run will present three exciting races: 5km Timed Challenge, 4km Fitness Run (Individual/Family) and 1km Panda Run that cater to experienced racers, new runners and family groups respectively💪🏻! We’re excited to announce the theme for this year’s #RunforSurvival – saving giant panda’s habitat together! Run For Survival 2024 aims to promote the conservation of giant pandas and their habitats, raising awareness about the threats they face🐼. Early bird offers available till 10 Nov🥳. Entries are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis! Event details: https://lnkd.in/gRZwsG4A Run for Survival 2024🐼 📆 24.11.2024 (Sun) 🕗 6:30am – 9:30am (races starting from 7:15am) 📍Ocean Park Hong Kong and Water World Ocean Park Hong Kong 🙋Register now: https://bit.ly/47iyaq9

OPCFHK Donor Appreciation Luncheon was successfully held yesterday (12 Sep) with the support from over 80 guests including sponsors, corporate partners, Consulate General, #OPCFHK trustee members, fundraising committee members, and scientific committee members. We expressed our deepest gratitude towards their contribution and their ongoing support to OPCFHK and wildlife conservation in Asia. The event started with a welcome speech by Ms Judy Chen, Foundation Chair of OPCFHK, sharing the updates of the latest conservation projects and extending the biggest welcome to the birth of the giant panda twins. She also unveiled OPCFHK’s upcoming events and hoped to continue to join hands with the donors to conserve Asian wildlife and their habitats. We have also invited Professor Cheung Siu-gin, a member of OPCFHK scientific committee, Associate Professor of the Department of Chemistry of the City University of Hong Kong and a member of the #IUCN SSC #HorseshoeCrab Specialist Group, to share OPCFHK’s research efforts for the conservation of horseshoe crabs in Hong Kong in collaboration with the City University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Thank you once again for your support to OPCFHK and Asian wildlife conservation. Your donations and supports play a significant role to contribute to our conservation efforts.

[#USSP2324 at the Biodiversity and New Energies Symposium] Sponsored by Towngas, the 2023-24 USSP has recruited a total of 24 local university students to participate in 9 wild ecological conservation and research projects in Asia. All students have returned and successfully organised 9 environmental community education activities and sharing sessions for the public🥳. With this programme coming to fruition this summer, our OPCFHK representatives and USSP students have participated in “Biodiversity and New Energies Symposium” organised by Towngas and Towngas Smart Energy on National Ecology Day🌱 (15 Aug). To start the day, we held a “Giant Panda🐼 Aroma Stone Crafting Workshop” to introduce to the public about the giant pandas and visualise some information in different aspects including biology, ecology and conservation in Sichuan and Hong Kong; for example, the animal care and research study of captive giant pandas in Hong Kong and the wild release of trained giant pandas in Sichuan. In the afternoon session, we participated in the Symposium where industry leaders and experts shared insights under the two major themes of “The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)” and “Coexisting with Nature Harmoniously by Balancing Development and Ecology Conservation”. Among them, Josephine Wong, Deputy Director of OPCFHK, was also one of the speakers. The above themes are at the core of the future development for local enterprises and the wider society. We support local enterprises to take the active role to fulfil their social responsibility in nature conservation at local and international levels.

[#FriendlySharing Free admission to the "Biodiversity and New Energies Symposium"] Register now: https://lnkd.in/gQEnbpCH The "Biodiversity and New Energies Symposium" will be held on #NationalEcologyDay, Aug 15. Experts from different sectors, corporates, conservation groups are invited to deliver speech and participate in roundtable discussions, aiming to explore ways to protect #biodiversity. The summit will be held in a hybrid format, and is #free for admission! Interested parties are welcome to register. Details below: Date: August 15, 2024 (Thursday) Location: Hong Kong Maritime Museum (Central Pier No. 8, Hong Kong) Time: Morning Session: 09:30 - 12:15 & Afternoon Session: 14:30 - 16:35 Register now: https://lnkd.in/gQEnbpCH

OPCFHK is one of the members in the expert group to help shape the Hong Kong Government's 2025 Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (#BSAP)🌎. Let's protect the biodiversity in Hong Kong together!

[📢 Let's #breakfree from disposable plastics!] Have you ever thought that there is no real connection between the things you buy and disposable plastic🤔? Many of the "associations" we take for granted can actually be "broken free"! When you go to the supermarket to buy groceries, you don't necessarily have to use plastic bags, you can choose to use #ecofriendlybags instead. When you want to buy a cold drink during summer, you don't really need a plastic bottle or cup, you can bring your own #reusablecup instead. And when ordering takeout, you can bring your own #foodcontainer to pack the meal! #Plastic is second largest contributor to municipal solid waste. Among them, the 3 main types are plastic bags, plastic utensils, and plastic bottles. Joining forces with our ambassadors, including Chan Hoi-wan, Gigi Leung, Yvette Kong, Cheung Ka-long, Kam Sing Wong, as well as members of the Hong Kong Fencing Team Choi Chun-yin, Ng Lok-wang, Nicholas Edward Choi and Yeung Tsz-ka💪, we urge the public to "break free” from disposable plastics and contribute to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation🌍!

[#InternationalHorseshoeCrabDay Applying technology to conservation efforts] OPCFHK conducts #horseshoecrab population surveys at least once every quarter. To make the surveys more accurate and efficient, OPCFHK, together with Dr Chen Xi, Research of the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Prof Cheung Siu-gin, Associate Professor of the Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, has initiated the first research project applying unmanned aerial systems (#UASs) and #artificialintelligence technologies to horseshoe crab population surveys🤗! Compared to current surveys counting of all visible horseshoe crabs on the mudflats by human, UASs and artificial intelligence technologies can provide a more efficient and in-depth analysis of horseshoe crab populations💪. By operating multiple unmanned aerial systems simultaneously within the predefining survey scopes and drone routes, it is possible to reach challenging-to-access areas like coastal mangrove strands. Moreover, it reduce disturbances to their habitats caused by surveyors walking through the mudflats during survey🚶♀️. Earlier this month, the research team carried out field data collection using the UASs for the first time at the #HaPakNai mudflat, one of the crucial breeding and nursing grounds for local horseshoe crabs. The more data collected on the horseshoe crabs in the mudflats, the more accurate the artificial intelligence technology becomes👏, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the local horseshoe crab. On this #InternationalHorseshoeCrabDay, we hope that you can take steps starting today to refrain from capturing, disturbing, or purchasing wild horseshoe crabs. Let's contribute to the conservation of horseshoe crabs and their habitats together🙌🌍!

[#WorldOceanDay 🌊!] Today, we celebrate #WorldOceanDay, a special occasion that takes place every year on June 8. This year, the theme is "Awaken New Depths" with the aim of raising the awareness among individuals to maintain balance between human and oceans. As humans, we rely on ocean for living, but at the same time, human activities have severely disrupted the ecological balance of the oceans. 90% of big fish populations depleted, 50% of coral reefs destroyed, and these are just the tip of the iceberg... Therefore, it's time for a change! This year, OPCFHK has received funding from the Environment and Conservation Fund to launch the "Environment and Conservation Fund – Citizenship Education Programme for Local Marine Conservation". We have recruited a group of local divers and they had already attended several lecture💪🏾 to strengthen their awareness of cleaning up marine debris, especially abandoned fishing nets, also known as "ghost nets”. OPCFHK also shared knowledge on local marine ecology, biodiversity and conservation, nurturing a deep of conservation responsibility among our volunteers🐠🐟. Today, on this special occasion of #WorldOceanDay, our Marine Conservation Ambassador, Harry Chan Tin-Ming 陳天明, MH together with the coaches from the Hong Kong China Underwater Association, led the team of trained volunteer divers going on their first mission today, cleaning up marine debris and restoring the marine ecosystem! Each and every one of you holds the power to make a difference🤝 As you shopping, consider bringing your own eco-friendly bag, reducing the consumption of disposable plastic bags. And when you visit the beach, bring your own trash away🧹. By taking these small yet impactful steps, we can safeguard the oceans and protect the together🌊! ---------------- Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material/ event do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Environment and Conservation Fund.