Wildlife is not exactly in abundance here in Hong Kong but there are enough pets and bugs to keep amateur photographers interested.. here are some of my more iconic images.
The stuff of nightmares and frequently seen at the Peak in Hong Kong
There is a perception that Hong Kong is a concrete jungle and that is true in certain parts of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon but remarkably we have a lot of park land as well (about 80% of land in Hong Kong is green / mountainous) so it is no surprise that we have creatures that live in our jungle environments that are the stuff of nightmares like this Golden Orb spider which is huge (it can have a leg span of well over 15cm) and in the past 6 months or so I have come across quite a few at the Peak on Hong Kong Island.
The infamous zombie fish
I am very aware that this is not wildlife, nor is it a bug or a pet but this is a frequent sight in our wet markets, these fish are sliced and diced in such a way that the heart keeps pumping for quite some time, ergo the fish remains fresh as the heart keeps pumping blood around the body. For those interested in fish anatomy it is a wonderful experience.
A bee doing it's thing for the world.
I have always considered a great bug shot to be the holy grail of amateur photography particularly when you get an image like this with a simple point and shot camera on auto setting. I generally have no patience for these shots, on this day I got lucky
like a kid in a candy shop... I think!
A lot of shops and stalls in Hong Kong have a cat on the premises and this is certainly one of the more interesting images I have taken, my only thought is whether cats actually like dried fish?
Obviously the non natural sub species of the poodle genus - the clown poodle
All one can do is shake one's head in wonderment at to why anyone would think that this makes a poodle more attractive.
Not the sort of sight you would expect to see in Hong Kong.
Yes, this really is a herd of wild cattle in Sai Kung out in the New Territories and yes they do amble around the roads and side streets.
The really quite horrible rhesus macaque monkey
These horrible creatures are not cute and cuddly and I speak from experience having had a run in with this one in December 2012 at the Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery in Shatin in the New Territories. They are nasty buggers with a set of teeth that will take your leg off and they have a mean disposition. It took about an hour for my heart to stop racing after I had beaten off it's attack. (and I had 4 witnesses to the attack!)
If you see one take my advice, beat a hasty exit and don't look back.... oh.. did I mention that there are over 2,000 of these blighters around the New Territories.
This is not the sort of dog you give a tummy rub!
... and talking of beasts that will take your leg off, I got the evil eye from this old and mangy dog as I strolled past. creepy, very creepy.
A Chinese Alligator
If you have seen the great Alligator / Crocodile movies, Lake Placid and Rogue then you are not going to be impressed with this specimen in the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens on Hong Kong Island.... what we really need is a bad tempered 20ft Australian crocodile, that will increase visitor numbers!
A non lethal rat snake
Hong Kong has 14 venomous land snakes that will put the willies up you although only 8 are considered lethal.
The King Cobra, the Cobra, the Banded Krait and my personal favourite the Pit Viper to name just four and you can run into them in the Hong Kong version of the "bush" .....now, it would be fair to say that the chances of you encountering a snake is somewhat low but I have personally come across a cobra and a viper on my travels around Hong Kong in the past year.
If you read the excellent book Gweilo by Martin Booth there is a chapter devoted to cobra's at the Peak!
Not poisonous thank god!
Kids love bugs and there are loads of them at the Peak, most of them harmless!
The Hong Kong giant centipede and they bite!
I run into these scary buggers at the Peak on a regular basis, they are about 7 - 8 inches long.
Yes, they can give you a nasty bite but on the plus side you can see them a mile away and if they get frisky just squish them!
This is NOT a Norwegian Blue Parrot!
If you are still willing to make the trek to the Bird Market in Mongkok, near Prince Edward MTR Station then you will see some beautiful birds on display.
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