Hong Kong warns of immediate enforcement against illegal feeding feral pigeons

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said on Saturday that enforcement officers will take immediate enforcement action without prior verbal warnings upon discovering any person who is found to be illegally feeding wild animals or feral pigeons.

This came after the Wild Animals Protection (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 came into effect a month ago.

The revised policy imposes harsher penalties to reduce the feeding of wild animals and address associated nuisances and sanitary issues to maintain ecological balance.

Under the new regulations, people caught feeding pigeons face a maximum penalty of a HK$100,000 fine and up to a year of imprisonment.

Additionally, a HK$5,000 fixed-penalty notice will be issued on the spot to those found feeding pigeons.

The department, in collaboration with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Housing Department, has stepped up patrols throughout Hong Kong, especially at locations with previous records of illegal feeding activities, to take appropriate enforcement action as necessary based on intelligence and reports.