Celebrity Life

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.

By now, your bosses and colleagues have probably seen more of your abode than you would've ever expected to show them.

With many of us working from home these days, meetings held over video conferencing apps the likes of Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become the new normal. Inevitably, this means letting colleagues into our residences — albeit virtually — and having them catch glimpses of it via our backdrop. Depending on where your workspace is located, this view could range from a boring blank wall to windows or cluttered bookshelves.

Your makeshift office may not be the most glamorous, but there are several easy interior design tricks that you can employ to quickly jazz up the background of your Zoom calls.

Textiles and cushions

If your workstation of choice is the couch or bed, all it takes is a few snazzy throw pillows wrapped in eye-catching fabrics and prints to provide visual interest in the space behind you. Consider dressing your cushions in the Armani/Casa Exclusive Textiles by Rubelli collection, which is inspired by modern art — specifically works by Henri Matisse, Vasilij Kandinskij and Paul Klee.

It showcases striking colour blocks embellished with embroideries, ikat details and intertwined motifs. These are available in various patterns and shades ranging from pastel to neutral hues. More details here.

Houseplants and greenery

Adding houseplants to your home office will help the space look less spartan and bland. Smaller plants like cacti, succulents and spider plants can be displayed on shelves or tables, while larger ones such as philodendrons, snake plants and ZZ plant (Zanzibar Gem) can be placed on the floor to break the monotony of blank walls.

Online plant retailer Flora Houses offers a wide variety of houseplants that will thrive indoors and are generally low-maintenance. Its range includes Japanese fir, fiddle leaf fig and Bird of Paradise. The store provides free doorstep delivery with a minimum spend.

Artworks and paintings

Perhaps houseplants may seem like too much of a commitment, or you simply don't have green fingers. This is where paintings and art pieces make an easier alternative. You can simply hang a couple of them on the wall that constantly forms your video call backdrop.

An Andy Warhol or Basquiat will certainly impress your co-workers, but your art doesn't necessarily have to be expensive or by big name artists. Consider procuring artworks instead from indie galleries such as Odd One Out, which boasts an array of creations by local and international printmakers and illustrators. We can't take our eyes off the above acrylic painting by Micke Lindebergh, which is titled 'Small Yellow Flower Pot' and features colourful blooms accented by quirky squiggles and bright hues.

Statement ornaments and furniture

Inject a dose of quirk into your meeting setup by peppering your background with assorted decorative items and statement furniture pieces. These can be anything from figurines to colourful tiles and dramatic room dividers.

Our go-to is Lala Curio, which is a whimsical wonderland of objets d'art such as brass monkey sculptures, cloisonné birds, and, one of our favourites — an adorable trio of cranes adorned with rock crystal feathers and perched on crystal balls.

Wallpaper

Why settle for one specially curated work area, when you can turn your whole room into an Instagram-worthy space? Wallpaper is a bold and easy solution — if every wall in your room is clad in beautiful prints, you can essentially park yourself in any corner and still have an envy-inducing Zoom backdrop.

Designer wallpaper has seen a resurgence in recent years, and we're obsessed with Christian Lacroix's exquisite Oiseau Fleur vinyl wallpaper, which depicts vibrant botanical and bird motifs against a silk effect embossed base. It comes in two colourways of pink and grey.

(Main image: Brina Blum/ Unsplash; Featured image: Christian Lacroix)

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