I am a female dolphin known as NL24 by scientists or otherwise “square fin” because my dorsal fin is shaped like a square.
As a female I don’t like to talk about my age, but wrinkles are appearing and I can’t pretend to be young forever.
I once had a beautiful baby but he passed away at a very young age for an unknown reason. His death left my heart broken; he was my hope and future. I talked to others about my situation and found out that I wasn’t alone in the situation. There were several of us mothers who have been through this tragic experience. Sadly, it doesn’t seem we can do much for ourselves. The saying goes that time heals, and I have begun to slowly walk out of the sadness. When I get the chance, I help to take care of other baby dolphins who did not suffer the same tragic death my baby boy went through. Seeing them play around gives us some faith. Faith that they can grow up and continue thriving these oceans.
In the past, the adults would take the kids to Shau Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park or The Brothers Islands to play. However since the reclamation of Chep Lak Kok, those two places are hardly the safe haven they used to be. It was a huge shock to us when boats started pouring load after load of sand and stones around Chep Lak Kok. In a few short years, we lost part of our home to what is now known as the Chep Lak Kok Airport. We thought the worst was behind us when construction ended but it was just the beginning. There have been many reclamation projects to the North of Lantau and we are losing more and more of our home. So much sea has been reclaimed that the path between Shau Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park and The Brothers Islands is getting so narrow that we dolphins barely go to The Brothers Islands anymore. It’s just too difficult and dangerous especially with the kids. It has also been rumoured that airport is trying to expand and reclaim more land for a third runway. I am scared for our future, especially for our kids. Where will we be able to safely raise them?
Do the construction workers not hear our cries of sadness? The damage they have done to our home is beyond repair. How can we ask them to stop? Surely they are like us and have families and friends they need to protect. Please give us back our safe haven to raise our kids and families. I’ve heard that some humans have started the “ 30 Third Runway Victims” campaign on behalf of us dolphins. Would you like to join them and help us voice out our unheard cries?
Flaws of Third Runway EIA Report (1)
Airport Authority’s Third Runway EIA report itself recognises that the proposed reclamation area is important Chinese White Dolphin habitat. The dolphins use the area as a travelling corridor during the day to conveniently get from place to play and like to roam around the area at night to hunt or play. However, the still claim it “acceptable” to reclaim this area. If this were to be allowed, there will be permanent habitat loss. This is a devastating blow to the dolphin population in Hong Kong where numbers have already been rapidly declining in the past decade. The proposed reclamation is totally unethical and unacceptable and defeats the nature and purpose of a EIA.
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