When it comes to bison, people's first impression may be images of herds of bison galloping on the African savannah. These were scenes that could only be seen in TV documentaries. Are there bison in China? Many people will answer without hesitation: no. Indeed, it is not easy to see bison even in the vast and sparsely populated areas of the West.
However, if bison still survive in our country, where do you think it is? I believe that even if you guess a hundred times, there will be no correct answer, that is Hong Kong. As we all know, Hong Kong is a place where every inch of land is at a premium. The famous "pigeon cage" and other houses, even an ordinary apartment of about 100 square meters, are already considered "luxury homes" in Hong Kong.
In such a place with very scarce land resources, there are nearly 1,000 bison living there. Is it unbelievable? Today we will follow the camera to explore these mysterious and low-key bison and learn about their past and present lives.
Hong Kong bison are divided into two types: buffalo and buffalo. Wild buffalo are relatively dependent on water. In the south coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong, the junction of the river's estuary and the sea water has formed a topography and ecology of fresh salt water. After a long period of development along the coast, Alluvial deposits have formed a long, gauzy, soft beach. This coast is the favorite habitat of Hong Kong's wild buffalo.
Under the afterglow of the setting sun, a group of wild buffaloes slowly walked towards the beach of Pui O, Lantau Island. At this time, the temperature was still relatively hot. The wild buffaloes who had eaten enough forage were playing in the light salt water. Although this water quality is not as good as fresh water to quench their thirst, But it is also beneficial for buffaloes. On the one hand, it can be sterilized and disinfected. On the other hand, wild buffaloes also need appropriate supplementation of salt.
This group of wild buffaloes have been very adapted to such an environment and have relatively strong resistance. There are lush pastures along the coast. Due to the humid climate, the grass grows very lushly, and the wild buffaloes hardly worry about food.
In addition to wild buffalo, there are also cattle. These cattle do not like the seaside environment very much. Instead, they prefer to live in parks and grasslands. When the weather is hot, they will rest in the shade of trees. The temperament of cattle is very docile. It seems that it has become commonplace to turn a blind eye to the passing crowds.
Cattle herds often wander around. People in cars on the roadside can often see them with their own eyes. They are not afraid of cars at all. They also walk slowly and leisurely on the road, strolling leisurely, and will stop to look for suitable grass when they see it. Food.
So, in a prosperous place like Hong Kong, where do these bison come from?
Hong Kong has always been famous for its beautiful urban landscape, with a large number of skyscrapers, but even so, it is still difficult to meet local land demand. Hong Kong's area is relatively small, about the same size as Luxembourg , but its population base is very large. Most of the residents live in small apartment buildings, and the densely packed apartment buildings are impressive. Shopping malls are often built on top of subways, which can be said to maximize land utilization.
It is no exaggeration to say that every inch of land in Hong Kong is precious, but there are thousands of bison living here at the same time. Where do these bison’s habitats come from? There are historical reasons for this. Since the 1970s, Hong Kong's economy has developed rapidly. The prosperity of the commercial economy has made the surrounding agriculture lose its appeal. Farmers in the surrounding suburbs have invested in the city, and most of the suburban land has been abandoned. .
At the same time, domestic livestock that were once used for farming were also abandoned, including some buffaloes and oxen. After being abandoned, these domestic livestock began to live in the wild. After dozens of generations of reproduction, they have completely It has the ability to become wild and has gradually expanded its population. Its current number is close to 1,000.
What impact will the increase in the number of bison have on the local natural environment and human life?
First of all, for the natural environment, the small area cannot satisfy the survival of overloaded bison. In the local area, there are some voluntary buffalo associations and other volunteer groups to protect the safety of these buffaloes and control their numbers. Avoid overbreeding.
The local agency responsible for wildlife protection regularly checks the health status of the bison herds and wears relevant tags and positioning collars to study the bison's activities. In order to control the size of bison, managers of the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will sterilize some bison. Since the establishment of the bison management team in 2011, more than 300 bison have been sterilized. This measure has effectively controlled bison. The size of the herd should be adjusted to prevent excessive numbers of bison from causing damage to the local natural ecology.
Secondly, for humans, the existence of these bison does not seem to cause much trouble to the lives of local residents. On the contrary, it has become a kind of fun. With the further development of the economy, today's relevant suburbs are no longer considered Abandoned farmland was gradually utilized, and some parks and residential areas were rebuilt.
Fortunately, these traces of human activities did not keep the bison away. On the contrary, the local residents chose a life style of living in harmony with the bison. Here, there are bison playing in the water on one side, and there are tall buildings on the other side; there are bison roaming on one side, and there is a romantic atmosphere on the other side.
Today, all kinds of people live around Lantau Island. These people come from all over the world and come to this quiet area full of primitive atmosphere. There are some creative community events where people can exhibit their creative works and share their creative ideas.
Have you seen this box of flowers? You will never think that it is actually a cake. This is the work of Lina, a beauty from Italy. She likes to eat desserts and make desserts. She often makes some unique cakes that look beautiful and delicious. Beautiful It’s hard to bear to eat.
This is also her idea. On the beach where bison live, Lina prefers to create free-spirited works. All her creativity comes from nature. In her words, watching the bison herd is slow and leisurely. Playing in the water, your mood will calm down, and you can feel the most primitive atmosphere.
A young man from Africa also stopped here for a short time. In the cheerful city, it was rare to find such a primitive environment, which allowed him to immerse himself in the memories of his hometown. Here he painted with his own brush Downloaded some abstract pictures. He would often be alone at the beach, quietly watching the buffalo herds playing in the water on the beach in a daze.
leslie has been coming to Hong Kong since 2003. Ever since she accidentally discovered this beach where bison roamed, she fell in love with this place. In the following ten years, she went from being alone to bringing her daughter with her. Here they paint, putting their emotions into the brush.
In addition, she also became a bison protection volunteer, often cleaning up cow dung and resolving some conflicts between humans and cows. Her daughter also loves this kind of life very much. Her favorite painting is the buffalo, and she The inspiration comes from the buffalo herd around us.
This cute little girl is not afraid of bison at all. She often races with herds of bison on the beach barefoot, sometimes matching the rhythm of the waves. This picture seems to re-interpret an ancient Chinese countryside. farming scene.
Hong Kong is not actually a steel city made of reinforced concrete. It also contains a wild side. In the few forests and wild places in Hong Kong, many wild animals still live, including monkeys, muntjacs, wild boars, bison and other animals. Live here. Even though these wild buffalo are not protected by law, local residents still spontaneously protect them and choose a path of harmonious coexistence.
Facts have proved that this choice is correct. More and more people are beginning to like the environment where bison linger around. In the rush of the city, the comfort of bison makes people feel peaceful. Today's bison have become part of the life of local communities. They lived on this land earlier than many people, and later people also chose to continue to live with them.
