Foundation of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society (HKDCS) is a milestone for the dolphin conservation effort in Hong Kong and nearby regions. In the past decade, Hong Kong citizen are increasingly familiar with cetaceans, particularly after the wide media coverage of the two live stranding incidents of a sperm whale and a Chinese white dolphin in 2003 as well as the strayed humpback whale in 2009. I have been giving talks on dolphins and leading dolphin watching tours for over ten years now, in which lots of people asked me how they could take part in dolphin conservation directly. Their support to our research and educational work really moves me.

After several years of gestation, with the support from a number of dolphin and nature devotees, the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society finally comes into view! We do hope that in the upcoming years we could continue our dolphin research systematically with sufficient resources, ensuring the conservation of Chinese white dolphins and other cetaceans occurring in Hong Kong waters; and we anticipate that the public could get to know more about the importance of conservation of dolphin and their home – the ocean.

It is foreseeable that HKDCS has to face plenty of challenges in the conservation work. Only with your participation can we make a difference. Here I would like to invite you to join us to help these amazing marine creatures!

Samuel Hung, Ph.D.

Chairman, Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society