Tougher stand to be taken against wild animal feeding

Feeders of wild animals beware - the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Agricultures, Fisheries and Conservation Department have been conducting a series of operations against wild animal feeding. 

The two departments started blitz operations to combat wild animal feeding and the dirtying public places on Mount Parker Road, Greig Road and Shum Wan Road. One person was prosecuted for unauthorized disposal of food remnants along Shum Wan Road.

Over the past year, such blitz operations have seen 80 prosecutions initiated against people who defied cleanliness regulations in Southern District, including 20 fixed penalty notices of HK$1500 and 60 summons.

There have also been public education campaigns aimed at deterring the feeding of wild animals.  "The FEHD attaches great importance to hygiene problems caused by fouling of public places due to wild animal feeding, and has all along been adopting specific measures to improve hygiene conditions taking into account the actual situation in the areas where wild animals frequently appear,” a spokesperson from the FEHD said.

On top of these, inspections and street cleaning services have been increased. Ten rubbish bins with foot pedals have been placed Braemar Hill, Mount Parker and Leaping Dragon Walk after the appearance of wild pigs in those  area. 63 of these  foot-operated trash cans were also placed around the Southern District.

The AFCD and FEHD further emphasized that feeding wild animals will attract them to go to urban or residential areas regularly, and reminded the public not to do so.