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Preface The putting together and writing of this book has been an act o f selfis h pleasur e sinc e th e discover y an d stud y i n Hong Kong of a fascinating arra y of associations between many kinds of marine animals has been itself of consuming interest. Hong Kong has no rich heritage of marine biological research, few 19th century expeditions came to explore and few marine scientist s o f statur e hav e worke d her e fo r prolonged periods. In 1928, Dr. G.A.C. Herklots filled the first biological post at the University of Hong Kong, but it was no t unti l 195 0 tha t th e firs t Chai r o f Zoolog y wa s established an d not until 1960 , the first Chai r of Botany . Thus, i n reality , natura l scienc e i s stil l i n it s infanc y i n Hong Kong. At various times in the 1950's and 60's marine biology was taught at the University, but this was in the Fisheries Research Uni t tha t wa s subsequentl y adopte d b y Government and incorporated into the present Agriculture and Fisheries Department. Their concern rightly was and is with fisheries . Ver y fe w professiona l marin e biologist s have plodded around Hong Kong's coastal waters and when I arrive d i n 197 0 t o recommence th e teaching of marine biology a t the University, it was a sobering experience to realize th e depths of loca l ignoranc e about Hong Kong' s shores an d coasta l environment . Ver y fe w animal s an d plants o n the shores and inshore coastal water s had been named, le t alone studied . The presence in Hong Kong of mangrove an d cora l shore s wa s quit e unknow n t o worl d scientists and the discovery of such communities in such a place wa s bot h excitin g i f paradoxical, give n th e huma n population density . Such habitats have survived by virtue of what I have described as 'conservation by concentration'. The great majority of Hong Kong's population at that time was focused around Victoria Harbour with shores and bays in the New Territories still only havens for fishermen an d farmers. In the 1970's, however, with laudable Government attempts t o rehous e it s fas t expandin g population , man y places an d habitat s i n wha t wer e remote area s o f Hon g Kong have been destroyed or are else now threatened with development. Concomitan t pollutio n o f ou r coasta l sea s has damaged perhaps beyond repair many vulnerable marine communities. Reclamation , domesti c an d agricultura l sewage, industrial pollution, sediment dumping, dynamiting for fish , indee d extensiv e an d intensiv e overfishin g o f inshore fishery resources , even spear-huntin g by SCUB A divers have taken their toll of a marine life that must once have been fabulous . W e know thi s because th e remnants clearly point to a place with many of the characteristics of nearby tropica l shores i n Malaysia , Thailan d an d th e Philippines. How can such destruction be tolerated? Why no public outcry when marshes are drained, coral reefs destroyed and important recreationa l water s turne d int o septi c lakes ? I believe it to be quite simply that people do not know what they ar e destroying . Wit h fe w biologist s explorin g thi s natural wealth and writing about it for others, ignorance of Hong Kong , it s shores , sea s an d marin e lif e permit s destruction. This is why the writing of this book has been such a pleasure . Persona l researc h an d researche s b y colleagues have exposed from Hong Kong's inshore world a wealth of animals which live in intimate and often almost anthropomorphic associatio n wit h their fellows. Their lif e styles are so fascinating for me that I simply cannot believe others will not be equally entranced . Clown fishe s whic h feed thei r host anemones, shrimps that clean mora y eels, grotesque female fish lice with dwarf male s and parasites that castrate their crab victims. All this extraordinary...

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