Hong Kong Wetland Park, Nature reserve in Tin Shui Wai, Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Wetland Park is a nature reserve in Tin Shui Wai within Yuen Long District, covering 61 hectares of protected land with mangroves, marshes, ponds, and natural habitats. Floating boardwalks connect the different areas and allow visitors to walk through the wetlands without disturbing the vegetation.
In 1998 the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Hong Kong Tourism Board began a feasibility study for an International Wetland Park and Visitor Centre on an ecological mitigation area created for wetlands lost to the Tin Shui Wai new town. Phase one, with an exhibition hall and boardwalk, opened in December 2000; phase two broke ground in December 2002. The park opened on 20 May 2006, and from 1 October 2005 it has been a special area managed by the AFCD director.
The Human Culture gallery in the visitor centre presents wetlands through four themes: cultural traditions, daily necessities, leisure and spiritual inspiration. Outside, the Wetland Discovery Centre and the Wetland Working Area show wetland crops, and trained volunteers lead guided walks on weekends and public holidays. The crocodile Pui Pui, named for Shan Pui River, lives in her own enclosure.
The facility opens daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, with guided tours available in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin at several observation points. The best time to visit is in winter when migratory birds arrive, or early in the morning when animals are more active.
Pui Pui, a crocodile rescued from Shan Pui River, has lived in an 8 by 9 metre outdoor enclosure since 29 August 2006. About 70% of it is a pool up to one metre deep, with plants for shelter and basking, infrared heaters, a heat pad and a weighing scale.
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