Night Watch over Mai Po

by Thomas Gomersall

Saturday nights can be spent Netflix bingeing or catching up with friends over drinks. But for nature lovers in Hong Kong, it can mean getting outside with a torch and plenty of mosquito repellent to spot a few elusive nocturnal animals. And from late May to August, one of the best opportunities to do that is the Night Safari at Mai Po Nature Reserve.

The activity starts like other Mai Po eco-visits, albeit in the early evening at around 6pm. In the sultry twilight, the wildlife seems noticeably dozier than usual, staying mostly subdued and out of sight, save for a few Chinese pond herons snatching a last bit of dinner. But what this first stage of the tour lacks in wildlife sightings, it more than makes up for in scenery, concluding at the Education Centre lily pond where the beauty of a mauve sunset sky is perfectly complemented by a serenade of gently croaking frogs.

Mai Po’s resident buffalo foraging in the reserve

Later, the tour moves inside the Education Centre for a welcome break from the humidity and a briefing on what might be spotted in the reserve that night, including Asian barred owlets, night herons, leopard cats, 13 species of bat and even Eurasian otters. While seeing many of these animals is definitely a long shot given their secretive nature, even that slim chance quickly excites the tour group I’m with, which can’t seem to resume the safari fast enough.

Night safari participants gets briefing on Mai Po’s nocturnal wildlife

By this time, night has well and truly fallen over Mai Po, though the reserve is surprisingly well- lit thanks to the shine of nearby Shenzhen. Still, that doesn’t mean the wildlife is any easier to spot. Blink and you might miss the tiny, electric-green light of your first firefly, or even a whole field of them. These beetles are deceptively easy to miss as their bioluminescent bottoms twinkle in and out of sight. But if you’re lazy like me, you can always rely on the guide’s red- tinged torches, which easily pick out other insects in the dark and provide a reassuring source of light along the damp, sometimes slippery boardwalks.

WWF eco-guide shines a light on the many species that come alive at night in Mai Po

Unsurprisingly, one must rely more on hearing to detect animals at night. But this can be problematic, especially with animals that make sounds at frequencies beyond the range of human hearing. Fortunately, the eco guides have a solution on hand. Bat detectors pick up the ultrasonic calls made by bats during echolocation and convert them into a series of spitting clicks (which, in an amusing coincidence, sound a little like flapping wings) that are loud enough for us to hear. The louder the clicks, the closer a bat is.

A detector picks up the clicking sounds bats make during echolocation

For those not content with just hearing bats or seeing their dim silhouettes fluttering overhead, a clearer view can be had at one of Mai Po’s bat boxes, which the guides will shine a light up into to search for any bats roosting inside (geckos and wolf spiders may also be seen). But if you want a photo, be sure to bring a highly light-sensitive camera as flash photography is not permitted.

Of course, spotting wildlife is always a luck-of-the-draw thing and there is no real guarantee of seeing animals in the reserve. Luckily, the guides have a back-up plan just in case: a white sheet hung next to an ultraviolet light near the Education Centre. Left for an hour or two while the tour group wanders the reserve, the heat from the UV light attracts a myriad of insects. Moths, crickets, grasshoppers, dragonflies and damselflies are all dotted across the sheet, along with a few spiders perhaps hoping to snatch something from the living buffet all around them. Some of the more impressive specimens are also scooped up and placed under see-through lids for visitors to get a better look at.

Insects such as this bush cricket are among the wildlife that can be spotted at Mai Po after dark. Photo credit: Thomas Gomersall

While the Mai Po night safari is an excellent opportunity to see nocturnal animals in Hong Kong, it is far from the only one. There are also plenty of public walking trails all over the city where a casual evening stroll can potentially turn up some spectacular wildlife. Porcupines and wild pigs along Lugard Road. Fireflies and moths in Tai Po Kau. Snakes and frogs on the trails near Ng Tung Chai village in Lam Tsuen. They’re all out there and are all easily accessible via public transport.

So if you’re ever stuck for ideas for your Saturday night, why not grab a torch and try your luck?

Tips for nocturnal wildlife watching:

· Do not disturb or harass wildlife.

· Move quietly and slowly to avoid disturbing animals.

· Walk in a pair or small group (3–4) to reduce noise.

· Look for wildlife away from main paths and instead along small trails on the side (try visiting the site during the day first to identify potential animal trails).