Over 1,400 Newts Killed on Hong Kong Roads in Two Months
Lingnan University's survey reveals over 1,400 Hong Kong newts died from vehicle collisions in two months. The near-threatened species constituted over 90% of wildlife carcasses found.
A survey conducted by Lingnan University's Science Unit has documented the deaths of over 1,400 Hong Kong newts due to vehicle collisions within a two-month period. The study indicates that these incidents, largely occurring after rainfall, pose a significant threat to the near-threatened species.
The Hong Kong newt (Paramesotriton hongkongensis) is the territory's sole native salamander and is listed as near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The species is protected under local wildlife laws. These newts migrate annually from streams to riparian forests in early spring, a journey that frequently leads them across rural roads where they are vulnerable to becoming roadkill.
The research, which involved training 20 members of the public, focused on four identified roadkill hotspots from March to May 2024. Over 1,500 animal carcasses were recorded during the transect surveys, with the 1,427 newt carcasses representing over 90% of the total. Roadkill was found to be concentrated in specific road sections, with Kowloon Peak being the most severely affected, recording 870 dead newts on a 1.3-kilometer stretch.
Professor Anthony Lau, Assistant Professor of the Science Unit at Lingnan University, noted that Hong Kong's subtropical climate, characterized by rain and humidity, increases amphibian activity and thus the likelihood of roadkill. He urged government departments to conduct further studies and implement conservation measures, such as eco-friendly road construction and traffic controls, to reduce the threat to the Hong Kong newt population.