Category: Species Profiles
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Formosa Kukri Snake – Hong Kong Wildlife | 台灣小頭蛇 – 香港野生動物
The Formosa kukri snake is also known as Taiwan kukri snake or beautiful kukri snake. In spite of its name, the natural range of this species is not limited to Taiwan but also Vietnam, Japan (Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa, Miyako, and Yaeyama), China including Hong Kong, and Hainan. It is a small snake growing to usually…
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I Found The Deadliest Snake in the World
The inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) the most venomous snake in the world with a murine LD 50 value of 0.025 mg/kg SC. I was lucky to encounter some in my field trips to Australia.
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Green Cascade Frog – Hong Kong Wildlife | 大綠蛙 – 香港野生動物
The Green cascade frog, also known as Chloronate huia frog or Copper-cheeked frog, is a species of true frog (family Ranidae). As a matter of fact, many frog-like amphibians in Hong Kong are not true frogs. Being quite large in size, bright green all over the back, and can make bigger jumps than most other…
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Blind Snake – Hong Kong Wildlife | 盲蛇 – 香港野生動物
This 4-inch noodle I found in my backyard is a fully-grown blind snake — one of the smallest snakes in the world. Eyesight is never an important sense of snakes. But most snakes do see and have exposed, visible eyeballs. However, as the name suggests, blind snakes are completely blind. The eyes can’t form images,…
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Komodo Island Pit Viper (Trimeresurus insularis)
The Komodo dragon is not the only animal in Komodo Island that makes me visit over and over again. This snake has always been the second sought-after species in my previous trips to Komodo Island. The Sunda Island pitviper (a.k.a. Lesser Sunda Island pit viper, White-lipped island pit viper, or Blue insularis viper) is native…
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Mangrove Pit Viper (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus)
Taking close-up photos of venomous snakes is always my kind of adrenaline booster. This one was even more exciting with me knowing the fact that there’s no antivenin specifically made for this snake. Bites are treated with polyvalent antivenin in SE Asian hospitals. The Mangrove pit viper (a.k.a. Mangrove viper, Shore pit viper, or Purple-spotted…
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Common Wolf Snake – Hong Kong Wildlife | 白環蛇 – 香港野生動物
Not only pet snakes can have designer morphs. The Wolf Snake is native to a large range of South Asia and Southeast Asia. Individuals of the same species from different locations appear to be very different. Patterns can be variable from patches, collars to bands. Coloration also varies from black, brownish, grayish, olive, to yellowish,…
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Big-headed Turtle – Hong Kong Wildlife | 大頭龜 – 香港野生動物
Days of rainstorm brought this little fella to the mountain stream behind my backyard. Not an easy find — the Big-headed turtle is a lesser-known endangered species native to Hong Kong, China, and SE Asia. It is nocturnal and lives in and around mountain streams with fast-running water. Not a slow turtle at all. It…
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Hong Kong Monkeys | 香港獼猴 – 香港野生動物
There are around 1,800 wild monkeys in Hong Kong, in 30 social troops. None of them are native to Hong Kong. They were all introduced. There are 2 species – the Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta), Long-tailed Macaque or crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis), and their hybrids. Stable populations reside in country parks such as Kam Shan…
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Wild Boar – Hong Kong Wildlife | 野豬 – 香港野生動物
The Wild boars (Sus scrofa) is also known as wild swine, common wild pig, or simply wild pig. Sus scrofa (Linnaeus, 1758)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: ArtiodactylaFamily: SuidaeGenus: SusSpecies: scrofa See more of my encounters with Hong Kong Wildlife. 野豬, 山豬
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Short-legged Horned Toad – Hong Kong Wildlife | 短腳角蟾 – 香港野生動物
If you will ask “What is a horned toad?” Most people will have zero ideas. Those who are into herpetology or herpetoculture will easily name the horned lizards (Phrynosoma sp) which are commonly known as horned toads, even though they are some North American lizards, not toads. Some may think of the much more well-known…
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Painted Chorus Frog – Hong Kong Wildlife | 粗皮姬蛙 – 香港野生動物
The Painted chorus frog (Microhyla butleri) has many other common names such as Butler’s narrow-mouthed toad, Butler’s pigmy frog, Butler’s rice frog, Butler’s ricefrog, noisy frog, or Tubercled pygmy frog. Microhyla butleri (Boulenger, 1900)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: AmphibiaOrder: AnuraFamily: MicrohylidaeGenus: MicrohylaSpecies: butleri See more of my encounters with Hong Kong Wildlife. 粗皮姬蛙, 巴氏小雨蛙
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Scarab Beetle – Hong Kong Wildlife | 金龜子 – 香港野生動物
Because of its glamorous metallic colors, these were the popular bugs Hong Kong kids used to spend their springs and summers finding them in the bush back in the 1970’s to 80’s. There are over 30,000 species of scarabs in the world. In Hong Kong, the more common scarabs include The green chafer beetles (Anomala…
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Red-whiskered Bulbul – Hong Kong Wildlife | 紅耳鵯 – 香港野生動物
Red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus), or also called Crested bulbul, is a passerine bird in Asia, a member of the bulbul family. It is a resident frugivore found mainly in tropical Asia. In Hong Kong, it is more common than most of other bulbuls such as the Sooty-headed bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster). Pycnonotus jocosus (Linnaeus, 1758)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum:…
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Asian Water Dragon – Hong Kong Wildlife | 長鬣蜥 – 香港野生動物
Never getting a PR ID card (permanent residency) in spite of residing in here for decades. Expats who live in here and have their kids and grandkids bred, born and raised in here are called locals. But when it comes to wild animals it’s not how it works. An alien species, it is among the…
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Gray’s Chinese Gecko – Hong Kong Wildlife | 中國壁虎 – 香港野生動物
Gray’s Chinese gecko (Gekko chinensis) is a species of gecko endemic to southern China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan) and Hong Kong. There are 8 species of geckos in Hong Kong. The Gray’s Chinese gecko is the second most common gecko after the “house gecko”, Bowring’s gecko (Hemidactylus bowringii) Gekko chinensis (Gray, 1842)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ReptiliaOrder:…
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Amphibious Litter Cockroach – Hong Kong Wildlife | 東方水蠊 – 香港野生動物
Opisthoplatia orientalis (Burmeister, 1838)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaClass: InsectaOrder: BlattodeaFamily: BlaberidaeGenus: OpisthoplatiaSpecies: orientalis See more of my encounters with Hong Kong Wildlife. 東方水蠊, 金邊土鱉, 東洋斑蜚蠊, 東洋斑蠊, 短翅蟑螂, Amphibious Litter Roach
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Jumping Spider – Hong Kong Wildlife | 跳蛛 – 香港野生動物
These teeny weeny little spiders have huge eyes! Jumping spiders have 4 pairs of eyes – 1 principal pair that is movable and 3 secondary pairs that are fixed. There are over 6,000 described species of jumping spiders in the world, making it the largest family of spiders at 13% of all species. Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum:…
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Banded Bullfrog – Hong Kong Wildlife | 花狹口蛙 – 香港野生動物
Banded bullfrog (Kaloula pulchra) is also called Asiatic painted frog, Malaysian narrow-mouthed toad, Asian banded bullfrog, Rice frog, Bubble frog, and Chubby frog. Kaloula pulchra (Gray, 1831)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: AmphibiaOrder: AnuraFamily: MicrohylidaeGenus: KaloulaSpecies: pulchra See more of my encounters with Hong Kong Wildlife. 花狹口蛙, 亞洲錦蛙
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Lychee Stink Bug – Hong Kong Wildlife | 荔枝椿象 – 香港野生動物
Lychee giant stink bug (Tessaratoma papillosa) is beautiful bug growing to 24 mm. Nymphs are especially colorful. But it is considered a pest by farmers as it feeds on lychee and longan trees by sucking the saps from its flowers, young fruits, and twigs. They are called stink bugs because when threatened their defense mechanism…
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Harvestman – Hong Kong Wildlife | 盲蛛 – 香港野生動物
Before you want to learn about Harvestmen (also called Daddy longlegs or Harvesters), let me explain a little about invertebrate classification – Fun fact: They are not spiders. Because of having 8 legs, these bugs are not insects. However, it does not necessarily make them spiders. There are many other bugs with 8 legs. They…
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Pinkwinged Grasshopper – Hong Kong Wildlife | 短額負蝗 – 香港野生動物
Atractomorpha sinensis (Bolívar, 1905)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaClass: InsectaOrder: OrthopteraSuborder: CaeliferaFamily: PyrgomorphidaeSubfamily: PyrgomorphinaeGenus: AtractomorphaSpecies: sinensis See more of my encounters with Hong Kong Wildlife. 短額負蝗, 紅後負蝗, 紅后負蝗
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Yellow-crested Cockatoo – Hong Kong Wildlife | 小葵花鳳頭鸚鵡 – 香港野生動物
I would be in and around the Mid-levels almost every day when I’m in Hong Kong. You can easily find these beautiful white parrots in there. But did you know that they were rarer than the Black-faced spoonbills you always heard of? In Hong Kong, they are commonly seen in Mid-levels, Central, Wan Chai, Tai…
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King Cobra – Hong Kong Wildlife | 眼鏡王蛇 – 香港野生動物
Every time I ask a boy or a young man, “What’s your favorite snake?” I definitely hear King cobra more than any other snakes! Despite the fact that it doesn’t have the deadliest venom when compared to the Inland taipan, the King cobra still holds a special place in many boys’ hearts as “the most…
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Hong Kong Whipping Frog – Hong Kong Wildlife | 斑腿泛樹蛙 – 香港野生動物
Hong Kong whipping frog (Polypedates megacephalus), also called Spot-legged tree frog, is a species in the shrub frog family (Rhacophoridae). In Hong Kong, it is more commonly known as “Brown tree frog”. But this name is otherwise applied to a few other species of frogs such as Litoria ewingii and Litoria littlejohni of Australia in…
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Sooty-headed Bulbul – Hong Kong Wildlife | 白喉紅臀鵯 – 香港野生動物
The Sooty-headed bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) is a species of songbird in the Bulbul family. Other than Hong Kong, it is also found in most of south-eastern Asia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. In Hong Kong, it is far less common than its cousin the Red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus). Pycnonotus aurigaster…
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Leopard Cat – Hong Kong Wildlife | 豹貓 – 香港野生動物
The only native cat of Hong Kong – The Leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) Civet cats are not cats, and the South China tigers (Panthera tigris amoyensis) has been locally extinct long ago. Leopard cats are as big as some larger domestic cats, with a body length of 40-60 cm, and weighing 2-3 kg. Do not…
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Long-tailed Sun Skink – Hong Kong Wildlife | 長尾南蜥 – 香港野生動物
The Long-tailed sun skink (Eutropis longicaudata) is also called Long-tailed mabuya. It is 1 of 11 species of skinks in Hong Kong growing to about 40 cm. Other than Hong Kong, it is also found in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Eutropis longicaudata (Hallowell, 1857)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ReptiliaOrder: SquamataFamily: ScincidaeGenus: EutropisSpecies:…
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Chinese Box Turtle – Hong Kong Wildlife | 黃緣閉殼龜 – 香港野生動物
There are only 5 species of freshwater turtles native to Hong Kong. But more than 5 other species can be found in here, and they were introduced. This is one of them. Chinese box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) is also called Yellow-margined box turtle, or Golden-headed turtle. Cuora flavomarginata (Gray, 1863)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ReptiliaOrder: TestudinesSuborder: CryptodiraSuperfamily:…
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Amboina Box Turtle – Hong Kong Wildlife | 馬來閉殼龜 – 香港野生動物
There are only 5 species of freshwater turtles native to Hong Kong. But more than 5 other species can be found in here, and they were introduced. This is one of them. Amboina box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) is also called Southeast Asian box turtle or Malayan box turtle. Cuora amboinensis (Daudin, 1802)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ReptiliaOrder:…
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Greater Coucal – Hong Kong Wildlife | 褐翅鴉鵑 – 香港野生動物
This is a Greater coucal (Centropus sinensis), or crow pheasant, in my backyard. Centropus sinensis (Stephens, 1815)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: AvesOrder: CuculiformesFamily: CuculidaeGenus: CentropusSpecies: sinensis See more of my encounters with Hong Kong Wildlife. 褐翅鴉鵑、大毛雞、烏鴉雉、毛雞、紅毛雞
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Pallas’s Squirrel – Hong Kong Wildlife | 赤腹松鼠 – 香港野生動物
Squirrels are everywhere in the world, with the exception of Antarctica. These rodents can even be found in the Arctic Circle. But did you know that, like Australia, there were no squirrels in Hong Kong originally? They were introduced. There are 200 species in the squirrel family (Sciuridae) – Chipmunks, marmots, groundhogs, flying squirrels, prairie…
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Oriental Ratsnake – Hong Kong Wildlife | 水律 – 香港野生動物
One of the most commonly seen snakes in Hong Kong, non-venomous, growing to 150 to up to 255 cm. The Oriental ratsnake (Ptyas mucosa) is also known as Common ratsnake, Indian rat snake, ghora pachar, darash or dhaman. The proper form of the species name is mucosa, as Ptyas is a feminine word form. Older…
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Burmese Python – Hong Kong Wildlife | 蟒蛇 – 香港野生動物
Gentle giant – the Burmese python is the largest native species in Hong Kong (in length) which I feel more comfortable catching than many smaller snakes. Not saying they won’t bite though. Size does matter, but length or girth?Wild pythons in Hong Kong used to be much larger back in the 50s. The record-holder was…
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Small Indian Civet – Hong Kong Wildlife | 小靈貓 – 香港野生動物
Civets (or sometimes called civet cats, though they are not cats) are small, lean, mostly nocturnal mammal native to tropical forests of Asia and Africa. Kopi luwak (also called civet coffee, caphe cut chon, fox-dung coffee, kape alamid) is a coffee that is prepared using coffee cherries that have been eaten and partly digested by…
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Asian Black-spined Toad – Hong Kong Wildlife | 黑眶蟾蜍 – 香港野生動物
Asian black-spined toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) is also called Asian common toad, black-spectacled toad, or just Asian toad. It is probably the most common amphibian in Hong Kong. It is also widely distributed throughout Asia from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, southern China, Taiwan, and Macau to Malaysia, Singapore, and…
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Many-banded Krait – Hong Kong Wildlife | 銀環蛇 – 香港野生動物
Many-banded krait (Bungarus multicinctus), or Multi-banded krait, is much smaller than its cousin Banded Krait (Bungarus fasciatus) but is surprisingly deadlier – the most venomous krait in the world! DistributionIn Hong Kong, it’s widely distributed in New Territories and on some islands. Outside Hong Kong, it’s found in much of central and southern China and…
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Banded Krait – Hong Kong Wildlife | 金環蛇 – 香港野生動物
Strangely, this is a “tame” kind of deadly snake. This kind of black-and-yellow rarely bites, but if it does it’s gonna kill. The Banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) is a large, venomous snake growing to anywhere from 100 up to 210 cm (3’3″ to 6’11”). It is larger but less venomous than its cousin, the Many-banded…
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Pangolin – Hong Kong Wildlife | 穿山甲 – 香港野生動物
This mammal has a lot in common with the porcupine. It is also nocturnal, slow-moving, and with high protection of the body made out of keratin. But unlike the porcupine, this one is rare. Extremely rare, critically endangered, and the number 1 most trafficked mammal in the world. Did you know that we have pangolins in…
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Porcupine – Hong Kong Wildlife | 箭豬 – 香港野生動物
If you will go on a night hike this is possibly the easiest animal to spot. The only porcupine species in Hong Kong is the Malayan porcupine (Hystrix brachyura). I found these spiky fellows in Kowloon Peak. It has become obviously more common in the Mid-levels along Blacks Link, Bowen Road, and the Victoria Peak,…
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Red-billed Blue Magpie – Hong Kong Wildlife | 藍喜鵲 – 香港野生動物
Flying right outside my house comes these cheeky birds. They don’t only rob nests they also chow up snakes like sucking up noodles. Saw that. Nope. Didn’t “save” the snakes. Red-billed blue magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha) is a member of the crow family. Not the most popular bird in Hong Kong but its Taiwanese cousin, Formosan…
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Green Sea Turtle – Hong Kong Wildlife | 綠海龜 – 香港野生動物
Did you know that sea turtles would come to Hong Kong? There are 7 species of sea turtles in the world, and surprisingly all of them have been spotted in Hong Kong waters. How amazing! Our most frequent visitor is the Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). Young turtles are carnivores, preying on crabs, shrimps, jellyfish,…
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Golden Coin Turtle – Hong Kong Wildlife | 金錢龜 – 香港野生動物
The Chinese three-striped box turtle (Cuora trifasciata), or better known as Golden coin turtle in Chinese, used to be very common when I was a kid which I refuse to provide the number of years ago. However, now it has become critically endangered due to habitat destruction and poaching. This species is now very rare…
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White Moth Bug – Hong Kong Wildlife | 白蛾蠟蟲 – 香港野生動物
This is a Flatid planthopper (Lawana imitata), or commonly known as White moth bugs, I found in Sha Tau Kok, northern Fanling, New Territories. It can also be found in China and Vietnam. They live in trees. Adults are active from May to October. I think they look so elegant and beautiful, but farmers just…
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Giant Golden Orb-weaving Spider – Hong Kong Wildlife | 人面蜘蛛 – 香港野生動物
One of the most common spiders in Hong Kong, the Giant golden orb-weaver (Nephila pilipes) can be found in primary and secondary forests almost anywhere in Hong Kong. This species has a wide distribution throughout Asia, China, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and also Papua…
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Changeable Lizard – Hong Kong Wildlife | 變色樹蜥 – 香港野生動物
One of the most common lizards in Hong Kong is Calotes versicolor.It has many common names: Changeable lizard, Crested tree lizard, Oriental garden lizard, Eastern garden lizard, and even Bloodsucker. Common throughout Hong Kong including all major islands, it is also widely distributed in Asia. These lizards can grow up to 40centimeters. They are sun-loving…
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Hong Kong Newt – Hong Kong Wildlife | 香港蠑螈 – 香港野生動物
We have many native frogs, but only 1 tailed amphibian (salamander or newt). The Hong Kong Newt, or Hong Kong Warty Newt (Paramesotriton hongkongensis) – I have usually found them in clean mountain streams in Lantau, Hong Kong Island, and the eastern and northern parts of New Territories. It was once believed to be an…
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Water Monitor – Hong Kong Wildlife | 水巨蜥 – 香港野生動物
A gray area in Hong Kong fauna. Once thought to be locally extinct. Now they are here again! Some think they are native. Others think they are imports. Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ReptiliaOrder: SquamataFamily: VaranidaeGenus: VaranusSpecies: salvator Where in HK?Very rare – reservoirs, rivers, Mai Po marshes Size: 1.5 – 3.2 m /…
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Eurasian Eagle-owl – Hong Kong Wildlife | 雕鴞 – 香港野生動物
The largest owl inhabits the smallest concrete jungle in Hong Kong. How intriguing! Birdwatching normally takes place during the day, except for owls. There are 9 species of owls you can possibly spot in Hong Kong. The most common species is the Collared scops owl (Otus lettia) which is a small one usually no bigger…
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Bamboo Snake – Hong Kong Wildlife | 青竹蛇 – 香港野生動物
This green beauty is responsible for the vast majority of snake bites in Hong Kong, or possibly southern Asia. Trimeresurus albolabris (Gray, 1842)Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ReptiliaOrder: SquamataSuborder: SerpentesFamily: ViperidaeGenus: (Cryptelytrops) TrimeresurusSpecies: albolabris Where in HK?Very common – low hilly areas, grasslands, cultivated fields Size: 50 – 90 cm / 1’8″ – 2’11”Distribution: Southern AsiaHabitat: ArborealDiet:…