As my four-month summer holiday in Hong Kong began to
draw to a close, so did my research internship at HKDCS.
The past two months had certainly been the highlight
of this summer, not to mention being the most memorable and inspiring internship
that I have yet attended over the past few years. At HKDCS no two days are the
same. We can never know what we will see on a particular trip, be it one calmly
surfacing porpoise or a large pod of socializing dolphins; and be it our first
or last day, seeing these mammals can never fail to enthuse us. For me, what
makes HKDCS so different from the many other organizations at which I have
previously worked is this expectation for the unpredictability that made my
every single day at HKDCS so unforgettable.
There were so many memorable experiences that I could
not possibly name them all, ranging from the petitions outside Ocean Park and the Japanese Consulate
Council, to the once-in-a-lifetime hike up Lung Kwu Chau, and to the discovery of a porpoise carcass on my penultimate day of work. Never
had I seen a live porpoise in its entire form during the two months, and to see
a carcass of this species was truly one overwhelming
experience for me. It made me realise for the first time how real and close
these animals are to us humans, and how vulnerable they are to the dangers that
the human presence poses for them.
HKDCS is a truly wonderful organization, with amazing
people working together towards a beautiful goal of protecting our lovable
Chinese white dolphins and finless porpoises in the seas. I am missing everyone
and the dolphins here in England, and will definitely be back soon for a visit!
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