Celebrity Life

Desmond Ng never planned on running a business Pet Cubes, but now that his work involves the well-being of people’s beloved pets, there’s no turning back.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

Desmond Ng never planned on running a business Pet Cubes, but now that his work involves the well-being of people’s beloved pets, there’s no turning back.

The post Why CEO of Pet Cubes Desmond Ng left his family office to run a start-up appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

There are billions of dog owners around the world and there are just as many accessories you can buy them. From the simple (and necessary) [...]

The post Amazing Dog Accessories appeared first on Most Expensive Thing.

The humble Pigeon, is one of the most common birds in the world, especially in cities. Some people think they are pests, or ‘the rats [...]

The post Most Expensive Pigeon appeared first on Most Expensive Thing.

Millions, if not billions of people around the world enjoy the company of a pet cat. Some cats are affordable and cute rescue cats and [...]

The post World’s Richest Cats appeared first on Most Expensive Thing.

Rare pink dolphins are returning to the waters between Hong Kong and Macau after the coronavirus pandemic halted ferries, but scientists remain deeply concerned about their long-term survival in one of the world's busiest sea lanes.

The tell-tale flash of pink leaping from the waters alerts Naomi Brennan to the presence of a local Chinese white dolphin and she jots the animal's location into a GPS device. Conservationists like Brennan regularly board boats in the Pearl River Delta to document how the mammals, known for their eye-catching pink colouring, are faring.

"Today we encountered three different groups of dolphins — six adults and two sub-adults," she explained. "They were engaging in a range of behaviour, from feeding to travelling and socialising."

For years, keeping tabs on the dolphins has been a disheartening task. The population has fallen by 70 to 80 percent in the past 15 years in what is one of the world's most industrialised estuaries.

[caption id="attachment_211503" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A Chinese white dolphin, also known locally as 'pink dolphin', swimming in the waters off the coast of Hong Kong. (Image: May James/ AFP)[/caption]

But this year these mammals' numbers have bounced back — and they have the pandemic to thank. Ferries between Hong Kong and Macau have been suspended since February, providing local marine scientists an opportunity to study how the pink dolphins have adapted to the "unprecedented quiet".

"We're seeing much larger group sizes as well as much more socialising, mating behaviour, which we hadn't really been seeing for the last five years or so," said Dr. Lindsay Porter, a Hong Kong-based marine scientist.

According to Porter's research team, the number of pink dolphins has increased by roughly a third in those waters since March. "These areas seem to be important for feeding and socialising. So it's great that there's this refuge for them," added Brennan, a member of Porter's team.

Megacities and shipping

The Pearl River Delta is one of the most industrialised coastal areas on Earth. As well as Hong Kong and Macao, it includes Chinese mainland megacities like Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Dongguan, and is home to some 22 million people.

And aside from heavy shipping traffic, the dolphins' key habitat has been subjected to a host of large-scale developments, including the construction of Hong Kong's airport on reclaimed land and the world's longest sea bridge connecting the financial hub to Macau and Zhuhai. A huge new reclamation project is also underway to build a third runway for the city's airport.

[caption id="attachment_211504" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Pink dolphins playing off the waters of Lantau in Hong Kong. (Image: AFP PHOTO / PIO/ HK Dolphin Conservation Society)[/caption]

According to the WWF, there are only an estimated 2,000 pink dolphins left in the Pearl River Delta — the minimum number that conservationists believe are needed to sustain the species. There is a palpable fear the delta's dolphins could go extinct under the population's current trajectory.

"Dolphins, and especially these estuarine dolphins, have a slow birth rate, a slow growth rate, a slow reproductive rate," said Laurence McCook, head of oceans conservation at WWF-Hong Kong. "So they need very careful management."

Cantonese heritage

The lack of ferries is a welcome, but potentially brief, respite for the dolphins. Noise from vessels disturbs mammals that rely on underwater sound for navigation and communication. The ships also pose the physical threat of striking the creatures, injuring and even killing them.

The rugged southern coastline of Hong Kong's outlying Lantau island provides shelter from typhoons and predators for the dolphins. But it is also where the ferries between Macau and the financial hub travel.

[caption id="attachment_211505" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Pink dolphins. (Image: Daniel Sorabji/ AFP)[/caption]

Conservationists are campaigning to expand an existing marine park to better protect the vulnerable species. "We've now identified a habitat that could then be reclaimed by them and could really be used to support their population," said Brennan, who believes recent findings could provide an opportunity for conservationists to "turn the tide" for the vulnerable dolphin population.

"The fact that we've seen such a dramatic change, though still early days, from just one of those impacts going away is a really positive shift."

But WWF's McCook warns time is running out for the dolphins. "They're an icon of the area," he said. "They're a part of Cantonese heritage. They've been around here for millennia."

"It would be a global tragedy to lose this iconic creature from the future of the Greater Bay Area."

(Main and featured image: AFP Photo / PIO/ HK Dolphin Conservation Society)

The post Pink Dolphins Have Been Spotted in Hong Kong After Reduced Marine Traffic From the Pandemic appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Dog food can be defined as any food specifically formulated for consumption by dogs. Many of us share our scraps, while others have their beloved [...]

The post Most Expensive Dog Foods appeared first on Most Expensive Thing.

Revered for centuries in Japan and China, these fish can be worth more than most people. They are generally kept for decorative purposes in outdoor [...]

The post Most Expensive Koi appeared first on Most Expensive Thing.

This ‘Guinea Pig Armor’ sold on ebay for an amazing US$24,300. 100 percent of those profits went to Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue, a non-profit organization [...]

The post Guinea Pig Armor US$24,300 appeared first on Most Expensive Thing.

Many households opt to get a pet or two. Pets are known to reduce stress and bring joy to their owners. However, owning one, depending [...]

The post Most Expensive Pets In The World appeared first on Most Expensive Thing.

Fish that you keep in aquariums can be cheap, but can also come in a higher price range if you want something more exotic . [...]

The post Most Expensive Fish ever Sold appeared first on Most Expensive Thing.

Cats have always been man’s best friend, well, almost. They are definitely good for the soul, whether they are calming your nerves, warming your lap, [...]

The post The Most Expensive Cat Breeds appeared first on Most Expensive Thing.