On a spring night in 2023, Fung Hon-shing was driving along Fei Ngo Shan Road in Sai Kung when he discovered over a hundred newts that had been caught by vehicles. Some were dead, while some were dying.
The shocking scene touched Fung deeply, prompting him to crowd funds about HK$300,000 to make a documentary about the life cycle of the Hong Kong newt.
The 33-year-old is one of the few full-time eco-producers in Hong Kong, spending long hours in the countryside capturing footage of wildlife.
A graduate of the Department of Biology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Fung once worked as a research assistant studying the distribution and habits of the Hong Kong newt (Paramesotriton hongkongensis).
But it wasn’t the first time he had encountered the tailed amphibian.
“I’ve known the species since I was a child, when my parents took me hiking in the mountains near my home,” Fung said. “I discovered that newts can live in different habitats like streams, ponds or even drains. I was impressed by the newt’s adaptability.”
The creature belongs to a species that was originally thought to be endemic only to Hong Kong – hence the name – but was later found in Guangdong province as well.
In 2023, Fung, along with several other ecological photographers and videographers, formed a team to spend a year filming this unique salamander. They successfully captured the complete life cycle of newts underwater – including courtship, fighting, mating, egg-laying, hatching, foraging and migration – and did it in 10 minutes. movietitled: Life (cycle) of the Hong Kong Newt.
The documentary was shortlisted for numerous film festivals in Hong Kong and abroad. It won the 2024 Nature Film of the Year award at the Singapore Nature Film Festival. That same year, the short film was also exhibited at an art gallery in Sham Shui Po, bringing the life of the unique creature to a wider audience.
The Hong Kong newt – the only tailed amphibian in Hong Kong – has a black or brown back and bright orange spots on its belly to warn predators of its toxicity. The orange spots also act as fingerprints, meaning no two Hong Kong newts have an identical pattern.
The species is listed as “near threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and is protected under the Hong Kong Wildlife Protection Ordinance.
Juvenile newts live in streams. Every April, adult newts migrate to the forests to avoid the fast currents of the rainy season. Fei Ngo Shan Road is one of the obstacles they have to cross.
Fung collaborated with Professor Anthony Lau, a wildlife ecologist at Lingnan University, to conduct one STUDY called the “Hong Kong Newt Roadkill Survey Project”, published in July last year. According to the research, at least 1,427 newts were hit by vehicles between March and May 2024, with 870 of those deaths occurring on Fei Ngo Shan Road.
“After the results of this survey were announced, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) contacted the Lingnan University team. Things are changing little by little, but the key is that it takes time,” said Fung.
In 2020, Fung and fellow wildlife filmmakers—Daphne Wong and James Kwok—founded Frigatefilmwhich specializes in nature content. The production company primarily provides environmental and documentary filming services, collaborating with both government and environmental organizations.
The producer describes his work as a way to atone for what humans have done to the environment, despite realizing that the impact of his projects may be limited.
“There’s actually very little an individual can do about climate change. Sometimes I make videos to explain why we should conserve and why we should be more environmentally friendly, but as individuals, what we can do is quite limited,” he said.
In addition to the Hong Kong newt, Fung’s projects cover freshwater fish, frogs, birds and more. However, ecological shooting often means returning empty-handed, and one does not always get the desired look.
Last winter, after filming an entire flock of black-faced spoonbills foraging, Fung set off again at five o’clock the next morning. He was accompanied by a HKFP photojournalist, who began following him in April last year.
As it turned out, there was only one black-faced spoonbill along the same shoreline, which failed to provide any usable sightings.
However, Fung had a level-headed response to the unfortunate result. He explained that the speed of the rising tide was completely different from the day before, making the water level at the site too deep for the spoonbills to stand and forage calmly, so the birds looked for another place.
Despite the unpredictability of his work, he enjoys every moment of it.
“I really like filming outdoors,” he said. “For one thing, I can step into many different rural areas of Hong Kong, getting to know Hong Kong better and making many connections.
“Also, I can spend long periods in these habitats interacting or waiting for the species, which allows me to understand these creatures deeply. Finally, I can use images to explain the stories of these creatures to others and share them, so the filming process is quite enjoyable.”
Most people associate environmental documentaries with the African savannah, the rainforests of Southeast Asia, or the icy waters of the Arctic. However, Fung still wants to continue to focus on Hong Kong.
“I live in this country, and my daily observations and feelings all stem from the ecology of Hong Kong, so I want to use images to leave some clues behind. It’s mainly a matter of emotional connection rather than diversity or uniqueness of species,” said Fung.
“Because of the connection between this place and my life, I want to do my best to capture more of the various aspects of Hong Kong’s ecology.”
