Fung Yuen Butterfly Reserve

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Hong Kong | Tuesday, October 12, 2010 | 5 photos

Fung Yuen Butterfly Reserve houses 80% of the total butterfly species found in Hong Kong. The reserve center is under threat as high-rise buildings are being built less than 50 meters away. The close proximity of the construction site and future human activities is jeopardizing more than 180 butterfly species and other natural habitats.

Protests and objections from the reserve center have fallen into deaf ears as the government has long approved the development plan without consulting either the center or nearby residents. The future looks gloomy, as the area has already recorded a drastic drop in number of butterflies seen in the area compared to last year before the construction began.

Like many, I stay and live in the cities all my life. I was born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia a multi-cultural city. Then I moved to Singapore for tertiary education and worked there for a few years. Now, I am residing in Hong Kong to be with my wife.

The importance of conservation never hit me until I took up photography in 2004. I enjoy spending weekends trekking and photographing landscapes, plants and animals.

Since 2008, I have been thinking of leaving my job as a business analyst and starting a career as a professional photographer. The recent construction at Fung Yuen has saddened me but made me realized that I have to act fast and to achive what I wanted to do as many natural habitats in the world are also under threat. I have promised myself to turn professional by the end of the year and I hope to convey the message of conservation through photography.