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Race back to Hong Kong - the Sea Pigs vs. the Flaming Tigers and Celestial Dragons
This trackable was released by Boy Scout Troop 1 of Hong Kong. Troop 1 has three patrols: the Celestial Dragons, Flaming Tigers, and Sea Pigs. Each patrol has its own trackable. We want to see which of the 3 trackables gets home to Hong Kong first. Plus, we are curious about the interesting stops they will encounter on the way back!
About Chinese White Dolphins
In Hong Kong, we call dolphins "Sea Pigs."
The Chinese white dolphin is a variety of Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin (Chinese: 中華白海豚; pinyin: Zhōnghuá bái hǎitún).This variety inhabits the eastern portion of the species range, in Southeast Asia and Australia. Some biologists regard the Chinese white dolphin as a separate subspecies, Sousa chinensis chinensis, from the Plumbea-type Indo-Pacific humbacked dolphin, which lives in the western part of the species range, from east Africa to India.However, DNA testing has indicated that the Chinensis-type dolphins from Southeast Asia are more closely related to the Plumbea-type dolphins than they are to the Chinensis-type dolphins from Australia.
An adult Chinese white dolphin is white or pink and may appear as an albino dolphin to some. Uniquely, the population along the Chinese coast has pink skin, and the pink colour originates not from a pigment, but from blood vessels which were overdeveloped for thermoregulation. The body length is 2 to 3.5 m (6 ft 7 in to 11 ft 6 in) for adults 1 m (3 ft 3 in) for infants. An adult weighs 150 to 230 kg (330 to 510 lb). Chinese white dolphins live up to 40 years, as determined by the analysis of their teeth.
At birth, the dolphins are black. They change to grey, then pinkish with spots when young. Adults are white.
Chinese white dolphins rise to the water surface to breathe for 20 to 30 seconds and after that, they will dive into deep water again. A calf dolphin surfaces from the water twice as much as an adult, because calves have smaller lung capacities than adults. Adult dolphins can stay underwater for about two to eight minutes, but a calf can only stay underwater for one to three minutes. Adult dolphins rarely stay under water for more than four minutes. They sometimes leap completely out of the water. They may also rise up vertically from the water, exposing the dorsal half of their bodies. A pair of protruding eyes allows them to see clearly in both air and water.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_white_dolphin
Hong Kong Pink Dolphins
Pink Dolphins were first observed in the waters around Hong Kong and the Pearl River Estuary over 300 years ago, but it wasn't until the late 1980's that anyone really started paying attention to them.
It was with the start of the new Chek Lap Kok Airport construction project that the rare Chinese dolphin came in the radar of the Hong Kong public. The huge land reclamation project affected the area in Northern Lantau Island, one of the major habitats of the dolphins. The public outcry and media attention helped to get the Hong Kong Government and other environmental groups to start funding research projects for this endangered and understudied species.
Around Hong Kong waters they live in the north and southeast of Lantau Island and around the smaller Peng Chau Island.
Although studies are inconclusive, it is believed that the dolphin population in Hong Kong waters is only about 100-140 dolphins and perhaps about 1,000 in the Pearl River Delta.
http://www.hong-kong-traveller.com/pink-dolphins.html#.WOy4rjxVbYU
Thank you for your assistance in moving this trackable a little further on its journey. The Sea Pigs appreciate your help!