Blue Sea Ocean World, an animal park in Wanning City, Hainan Province, has suffered losses estimated at 20 million yuan (US$2.5 million). The park has lost more than 150 sharks, and 20 seals.
According to the park workers, most of their seals in the Halobios Area had been moved to swimming pools in other parts of the park. Unfortunately, all of them died later from disease. About 20 of the seals that were not transferred escaped through holes in nets. More than 150 sharks also escaped. All of the sharks were nurse sharks and white-fin sharks. Some members of staff said that they had done all they could to protect the animals, but the ferocity with which Damrey tore through Hainan was beyond anyone's expectations.
Damrey also killed about a hundred aigrette that lived in the Mingrenshan Bird Protection Reserve in Wenchang City.
Reserve staff managed to save about 50 aigrettes last week. But to date, four of them are still too injured to fly.
The reserve is China's first privately owned bird protection reserve. It covers about 2,133 hectares in land area and stretches across 38 villages.
Mr. Xing Yiqian, who founded the reserve in 1995, said the only he wants now is a crane to help him rebuild the reserve in time for the National Day holidays.
(China.org.cn by Li Shen, October 1, 2005)
