Many Chinese hope that wealth and abundance will be the title of the Chinese Year of the Ox, but it does not seem like the way to the wild cows on a small island in Hong Kong witnessing the storming of hikers eager for open spaces erect their tents on land that these animals used as pastures.
Not long ago, Tap Moon Island, or "Grass Island" (Grass Island), was known for its green pastures overlooking the South China Sea, and it was an ideal habitat for the cows that grazed peacefully throughout them.
Today, however, the landscape has changed, after the grasslands turned into dusty, barren lands in light of the constant invasion of hiking and relaxation lovers.
Tap Moon Island is located in the far northeast of Hong Kong, and to reach this island - which is home to dozens of fishermen's families - you must ride the bus for an hour between Sai Kung Park, and then move an additional half an hour on a small ship that does not exceed 3 trips per day.
This hardship was previously incurred only by the most enthusiastic hikers to visit.
Cows are increasingly turning to humans for food without forgetting to search among the piles of litter left by the hikers (French)
An environmental disaster
But the situation has changed since Hong Kong residents were banned from traveling during the pandemic, as they have no other choice but to explore local heritage treasures.
In this context, the parks and neighborhoods loved by hikers and remote islands are witnessing an invasion of hikers searching for some fresh air during the time of home quarantine, and this came on the pastures that were enjoyed by the cows on Tap Moon Island.
"Suddenly, the crowds started arriving and trampling the grass," said Hu Lui, president of the Lantau Buffalo Association, which protects wild cows and buffaloes.
Throughout the island, the hiking alleys were extended at the expense of the grass cover that used to cover the place, and the camping ground where the cows grazed the grass was nothing but a dusty field.
The association president explains that "the area witnessed a great turnout from hikers, and the problem is not limited to the removal of the grass, as the topsoil layer on which the grass used to grow has also been removed," describing this as an "environmental disaster."
The situation has become truly tragic, to the point that establishments are bringing quantities of fodder to the island.
The situation has become so tragic that institutions are now bringing in quantities of fodder for cows (French)
Find the trash
Every month, Hu Louie runs a workshop to train volunteers to prepare hay, and she finally headed with them to a village in rural Hong Kong, where, for 3 hours, she taught them how to use the machete.
Upon returning to the island of Grassland, the wait was not long before seeing the herds of cows coming for sustenance. In the absence of grassy areas, cows are increasingly turning to humans, for food, without neglecting to search among the piles of waste left by the hikers.
"We saw cows looking in the garbage" for food, "said Jennifer Way - who participated in the workshop for the first time with her husband." We also saw some of them trying to eat candy from inside a box, until they swallowed the box with what was inside, this is a sad sight. "
It seeks to educate visitors who feed these animals on the need to be alert to the seriousness of the situation.
"This may be dangerous," she says. "Some cows have a strange stomach that appears to be swollen. This indicates the presence of quantities of plastic in their digestive system."