How will the discovery of dinosaur fossils affect Hong Kong? Experts answer

The first dinosaur fossils discovered in Hong Kong may provide valuable insights into the Cretaceous period’s terrestrial ecosystems in South China and bring new blood to the academic field, experts have said.

But a veteran geologist expressed concerns that the fascinating find could result in lasting damage to nature, adding that the city’s curriculum design had misled students interested in geology into selecting a social science subject.

The experts’ remarks were made before a group of fossil rocks found on Port Island in the Hong Kong Unesco Global Geopark was due to be shown to the public for the first time on Friday.

Young Ng Chun-yeong, former chairman of the Association for Geoconservation and a key proponent of the geopark designation, said he expected the discovery to reignite public interest in geoscience and deliver long-term benefits to academia.

“Before having the geopark, most people thought that Hong Kong was mainly a city and a concrete forest, without paying special attention to the natural rock foundations that we have,” said Ng, who now chairs an ecotourism strategy reference group of the Australian Geoscience Council.

“Now that dinosaur fossils have been discovered, people will again notice that the natural foundation of Hong Kong is quite spectacular.”