Wild Thing in Hong Kong

Commentator, crypto-fascist and wine connoisseur, Kevin Sinclair had an interesting column in the South China Morning Post (paid, no link) a couple of days ago about something I'd never heard of before: the Golden Coin Turtle. Thanks, Kevin!
Sinclair, who lives in the New Territories, had popped in to the nearby Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden. According to the Kadoorie website:

Southeast Asia has the richest diversity of chelonians in the world--over 90 species. At least 37 of these are endangered, though it is feared that the count has now doubled in recent decades, due to economic prosperity and open markets. KFBG, like many other organizations, has only recently become aware of the crisis Asian turtles and tortoises face. Our location within Hong Kong gives us a unique perspective and opportunity to aid turtles in their fight for survival. We have already begun a conservation breeding programme which includes the Three-lined Box Turtle Cuora trifasciata also known as the Golden Coin Turtle, and have also successfully bred the Vietnamese Leaf Turtle Annamemys annamensis.

The Golden Coin Turtle (Cuora trifasciata) is, of course, on that endangered list -- not just endangered, but critically endangered, on the brink of extinction (aren't we all?). Still, where there's life, so they say, there is hope. Trawling around the web, I came across the Department of Ecology & Biodiversity, University of Hong Kong's online newsletter, Porcupine! I have lived here a considerable time, but this place continues to amaze me. There are sightings (and some photos) of all sorts of Wild Things that live in Hong Kong: wild boar, mongoose, barking deer, masked palm civet, porcupine and a lot else besides. See for yourself, here. Amazing, just amazing. (Oh, I saw a rather large apple green lizard while I was cycling to Sai Wan, yesterday. Apple green, lizard, eight or nine inches long. That's all I know, all I can tell you.)