There is only one location of Marsh land at Mai Po, New Territory in Hong Kong. It is rated as one of China's seven most important wetlands, also known as Ramsar sites, and close to its border; this is a haven for thousands of birds and reptiles and an important point on the migration route. It is known to contain 15 endangered waterbird species, especially black-faced spoonbill, Saunders' gull and Dalmatian pelican, and over 20 new species of invertebrates have been found. In 2001, it was estimated that 252 spoonbills came for the winter before heading back to Korea, and the marshes are though to contain around 25% of its world's population. The wetlands are a stopover for tens of thousands of birds along the East Asia-Australasian flyway, which is why 80% of the population is migratory. The marshes are also home to otters, butterflies and leopard cats. Paths and trails lead to ponds, reed beds, mangroves and mudflats and at the centre of the marshes is the Mai Po Nature Reserve with bird-watching platforms, best time to visit Oct-May. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature, which plays a large role in running the reserve, organizes tours including a visit to the 3-storey tower hide with views of the entire marshes, every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, Oct-Apr, lasting around 5 hours. It also offers permits to foreign tourists, on a first-come-first served basis. Note: The term ' Ramsar' comes from the town Ramsar in Iran, host of a convention for conserving the world's most important wetlands. Of the 118 countries now part of Ramsar, Hong Kong joined in 1979. It now has an international obligation to protect its valuable wetlands including Mai Po Marshes, one of the seven Ramsar sites in China. YIP
參考: Adopted from the Tour's book of Footprint Hong Kong written by Emma Levine in 2003.