Best of our wild blogs: 13 Aug 17

Morning Walk At Pulau Ubin (11 Aug 2017)
Beetles@SG BLOG

ButterflyCircle Sharing Series
Butterflies of Singapore

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AVA inspectors share tales of hunting down illegal wildlife owners

AVA inspectors share tales of desperate tactics by owners cornered by the authorities
Zaihan Mohamed Yusof Straits Times 18 Aug 17;

Nobody answered the door when two Agri-food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) inspectors made a surprise visit to a Bukit Panjang flat based on intelligence.

The pair - who wanted to be known only as John and Tom - left after an hour of waiting. But when they returned to the same flat four hours later, they struck gold.

They found a hedgehog, slightly bigger than an adult's palm, kept in a plastic tank inside the flat.

The Sunday Times was given an exclusive look into the inspectors' work by tagging along during the raid around a month ago, as they shared accounts of the desperate tactics used by illegal wildlife owners who find themselves becoming the prey of the authorities.

John, who is in his 40s and has eight years of experience, said that when cornered with incriminating evidence, some illegal wildlife owners would resort to hiding the animals or delaying investigations.

"There have been instances when the suspects kept their gates locked as they went back to their kitchens to do something funny... We will advise them not to do so," said John.

Tom, who is in his 30s, said some suspects would become verbally abusive. "(They) try to instil fear in us," he said.

Dr Anna Wong, the director of AVA's Import and Export Regulation Department/Quarantine & Inspection Group, said AVA is alerted to cases of illegal wildlife ownership or trade through feedback, tip-offs, inspections and surveillance.

Dr Wong said: "AVA officers face various challenges while conducting investigations or interacting with suspected wildlife owners or sellers. This includes sellers cutting off engagement with an investigation officer posing as a potential buyer or running away from officers. As there are always risks or dangers involved, each operation is carefully planned for."

Under the law, importing animals without an AVA permit is illegal and carries a maximum fine of $10,000 and/or jail sentence of up to a year.

It is also against the law to possess, advertise for sale or display to the public, including online, any illegal wildlife species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna or Flora (Cites).

Yet, the many local and foreign online advertisements and posts suggest a healthy trade.

From 2013 to May this year, AVA has handled 100 cases pertaining to the possession, sale or trade of live wild animals, including Cites and non-Cites animals seized from Singapore's borders, inland possession and online sales.

In 2015, there were 25 cases in which 463 wild animals were confiscated. The following year, the number of cases rose to 31, though fewer live animals - 162 - were seized.

From January to May this year, AVA has seized 128 live wild animals in 11 cases. John said: "It (online posts, blogs and advertisements) creates a buy-and-sell situation in Singapore. It's getting worse nowadays (as) we seem to be apprehending more people who are trying to sell."

AVA inspectors have seized rare animals like scorpions, tarantulas, pigtail macaques, fennec foxes and the Asian leopard cat.

The most commonly seized animals are star tortoises, hedgehogs, ball pythons, sugar gliders and leopard geckos, said Dr Wong.

For Tom, his strangest find during a raid was a pit viper snake.

He said: "In that case, we had asked the owner to take the glass box with the pit viper out.(Yet), he was actually playing with it. To us, it's a venomous snake."

At the Bukit Panjang flat, where the owner claimed she did not know that keeping a hedgehog was against the law, the inspectors' job was far from complete.

After taking her statement, the hedgehog was transported to the Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), where it was officially handed over. ST understands that while WRS receives confiscated wildlife at least "once or twice a month", it also gets wild animals abandoned by their owners.

An animal's body weight is measured and it is examined for parasites and eye or nasal discharge before being admitted into WRS' quarantine facility. Some animals arrive in "near-death" condition due to poor care and husbandry.

Added Dr Wong: "Wild animals are not suitable pets as some may transmit zoonotic diseases to humans and can be a public safety risk if mishandled, or if they escape into our dense urban environment...

"Demand for such animals would fuel illegal wildlife trade, which severely impacts the wild populations of numerous species."


THRIVING ILLEGAL TRADE

463

Number of live wild animals confiscated in 2015.

162

Number of live wild animals seized by AVA last year.

128

Number of live wild animals seized from January to May this year.


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Malaysia: Customs seize 8,000kg of pangolin scales worth RM100mil

MUGUNTAN VANAR The Star 11 Aug 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Some 8,000kg of pangolin scales worth a whopping RM100mil in illicit trade were seized by Customs at the Sepanggar Bay container port here.

Sabah Customs and Excise Department director Datuk Janathan Kandok said the pangolin scales were found in 266 gunny sacks owned by a private company that was meant for export on July 29.

He said a 43-year-old local man, the owner of the company, has been detained.

"Our initial investigations show that the scales were on its way to China," he said at a press conference at Wisma Kastam Sabah here Friday.

Janathan said it was uncertain if the scales were from local pangolins, and did not rule out the possibility that it was smuggled from neighbouring countries.

He said it is estimated that the scales came from some 16,000 pangolins, which is an endangered species.

Pangolin scales are used for medicinal and food by certain people and has high demand for its unproven aphrodisiac value.

Janathan said the suspect had hidden the scales under various types of marine shells to trick Customs officials.

However, on closer examination, they discovered the pangolin scales beneath the sacks.

Janathan said investigations are being carried out under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 for exporting banned goods.


Where did that 8,000kg of pangolin scales come from?
MUGUNTAN VANAR The Star 12 Aug 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is keen to find out the origin of the 8,000kg of pangolin scales worth RM100mil that was seized by the state Customs and Excise Department at its Sepanggar container port here on July 29.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Datuk Augustine Tuuga said his team wants to take DNA samples to establish whether the pangolin scales were from Sabah or somewhere else.

"We won't have any idea (of the origin of the pangolin scales) unless there is a DNA analysis," he said on Saturday.

"We also believe they may not be necessarily from this region, and could be from Africa as it was with those seized at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in May," he added.

Tuuga was referring to the seizure of 700kg of pangolin scales as well as ivory tusks earlier this year, all originating from Africa.

He said his department was also prepared to take action under the state's conservation laws for smuggling, noting that trading in pangolins was banned under state as well as international laws.

"(Customs) will take action under their law but we will also take action if they hand over the case to us after they have completed their investigations," he added.

On Friday, Sabah Customs and Excise Department director Datuk Janathan Kandok said they had arrested a 43-year-old local and found the pangolin scales stored in 266 gunny bags in two containers waiting to be shipped to China.

The suspect was the owner of the company shipping the goods.

Janathan said they were uncertain if the scales were from local pangolins but did not rule out that they could have come from neighbouring countries, brought into Sabah illegally.

He said that they estimated that the scales came from some 16,000 pangolins, which are classified as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Pangolin scales are used for medicinal purposes and as food, and there is high demand for their unproven aphrodisiac value.

They are valued at US$3,000 (about RM13,000) per kg in the black market.

Sabah Customs is probing the case under Section 135 (1) (a) of the Customs Act 1967 for exporting banned goods.

The seizure was the biggest haul involving the protected animal so far in Sabah, after the seizure of 1,068 frozen pangolins weighing some five tonnes in Sandakan on Dec 7, 2011.


Man detained after 8,000kg of pangolin scales found
The Star 12 Aug 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Some 8,000kg of pangolin scales worth RM100mil in the illicit trade business were seized by Customs at the port here.

Sabah Customs and Excise Department director Datuk Jana­than Kandok said they found the scales in a container owned by a Sabah private company that was meant for export on July 29.

He said a 43-year-old man, who is the owner of the company, has been detained.

“Our initial investigation showed that it was on its way to China,” he said.

Janathan said they were uncertain if the scales were from local pangolins and did not rule out the possibility that they were smuggled from neighbouring countries.

He said they estimated that the scales came from some 16,000 pangolins, which are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

The scales were in 266 gunny sacks placed inside two containers, he told a press conference at Wisma Kastam Sabah here yesterday.

Pangolin scales are in high demand as an aphrodisiac, although this attribute is yet unproven.

He said the suspect had hidden the scales under normal marine shells to trick Customs officials.

However, on closer examination, they discovered the pangolin scales beneath the sacks.

Janathan said that investigations were being carried out under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 for exporting banned goods.

Those found guilty face a fine of not less than 10 times the value of the goods or a jail term not exceeding three years or both.

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Malaysia: Wild Elephant population in Peninsula estimated at 1,450

Bernama New Straits Times 12 Aug 17;

KUALA LUMPUR: The population of wild elephants in Peninsular Malaysia is estimated to be between 1,220 to 1,450, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He said the animal distribution in the peninsula is concentrated in Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah, Perak, Johor and Negri Sembilan, with the highest elephant population to be found in the National Park in Pahang of about 290 to 631 elephants.

As a ‘keystone’ species in the forest ecosystem, Wan Junaidi said elephants played an important role in terms of ecosystem balance, becoming a symbol of national biodiversity conservation.

Wan Junaidi said the awareness and cooperation of all Malaysians was crucial to protecting, conserving and appreciating national biodiversity, especially wildlife such as elephants as a priceless living heritage.

“In ensuring that these elephant species survive, the cooperation of all parties is very much needed to play their respective roles. Apart from the government that conducts public awareness programmes, the private sector are welcome to jointly carry out their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes towards the conservation of wildlife in our country.

“This earth is ours together. We should live in harmony with the flora and fauna that need each other for our survival in the future,” he said in his message in conjunction with the World Elephant Day today.

Wan Junaidi said the ministry through the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) launched the National Elephant Conservation Action Plan (NECAP) on Nov 27, 2013 which outlined elephant conservation activities from 2013 to 2022.

NECAP is a comprehensive plan to ensure effective elephant conservation efforts such as increasing elephant population in key habitats, protecting elephant habitat, strengthening elephant law enforcement, effective elephant conflict management and enhancing research and knowledge on elephants’ ecology and biology.

World Elephant Day is celebrated on August 12 every year since 2011 to expose the world community on conservation efforts of elephant species as well as fostering public awareness of the critical threats faced by elephant populations worldwide. — BERNAMA

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Malaysia not a wildlife smuggling hub

New Straits Times 12 Aug 17;

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should not be referred to as a hub for wildlife smuggling.

Customs Director-General Datuk Seri T. Subromaniam said this to set the record straight, in reference to two seizures of pangolin scales last month.

“I need to correct the misconception. There are countries that have these cases but do not report or take action on them,” he said while alluding to neighbouring countries.

“But what is better, take action and report (the seizure) and have you all say we are a transit point, or allow these smugglers to get through while another party becomes the news highlight,” he said here at the pre-launch of a charity ride the department plans to hold in January.

He said that the statistics had to be interpreted carefully and more busts meant there was a proper system in place to nab criminals.

“We can't, for instance say that Malaysia is a corrupt country just because the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission handles a lot of cases,” he added.

Subromaniam also said that the department scored large busts as a result of partnerships with international intelligence networks and public tip-offs.

Malaysia has long been labelled as a key transit point in global wildlife smuggling and trafficking by environmental groups.

On Friday the Sabah Customs Department announced that it busted an attempt to smuggle out about 8,000 kg of pangolin scales worth over RM103 million to China via the Sepanggar Port in Kota Kinabalu on July 29.

The scales, packed in 226 gunny sacks were discovered inside two containers, waiting to be shipped out.

Last week the KLIA Customs Department also announced that it seized 300.9kg of smuggled pangolin scales worth RM3.86 million from the Democratic Republic of Congo on July 30.

Customs assistant director-general (enforcement) Datuk Mohd Pudzi Man said the smuggled items were confiscated from the free trade zone at the air cargo warehouse in KLIA.

The scales were smuggled in seven bags and labelled as “fish maw”. They were flown in via Ethiopian Airlines from Congo, and KLIA is believed to have been its final destination.
-ends-

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Malaysia: Hundreds of insect species found in Hampuan Forest Reserve

STEPHANIE LEE The Star 12 Aug 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Hundreds of species of insects endemic to Borneo have been recorded in the newly gazetted Hampuan Forest Reserve close to Kinabalu Park.

An estimated 115 species, including butterflies, moths and beetles, are found in this forest reserve, which is believed to also have the highest density of nocturnal insects in the area, said Forest Entomologist for the Sabah Forestry Department Dr Arthur Y.C. Chung.

There are at least 42 butterfly, 15 moth and three beetle species found in Bukit Hampuan during their survey in the area to prepare for the gazetting sometime in 2011, he added.

It is likely that there are special types of butterflies, including Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing (Troides brookiana), Common Birdwing (Troides helena) and Tree Nymph (Idea stolli), in the forest reserve area.

Dr Chung said insects could travel from Kinabalu Park to Hampuan Forest Reserve due to its proximity and suitable living conditions.

Apart from insects, Dr Chung said an abundance of orchid species could be found at the forest reserve as well.

Dr Chung also recommended that Bukit Hampuan Forest Reserve be connected to the nearby Kinabalu Park, by gazetting the connecting state land area into a forest reserve.

“Forest fires, illegal hunting for wild animals and orchids, and agricultural activities are among the threats to Bukit Hampuan Forest Reserve, which directly affect its insect diversity,” he added.

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Elron Angin had in the recent state assembly said that Sabah was expanding the Bukit Hampuan Forest Reserve near Mount Kinabalu to ensure the survival of a butterfly species that can only be found there.

He added that the 1,243ha Bukit Hampuan forest reserve was being enlarged by another 26.3ha for this purpose.

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Hong Kong cleans up 93 tonnes of palm oil; beaches smothered by spill

Anne Marie Roantree and Donny Kwok Reuters 9 Aug 17;


HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong stepped up efforts on Wednesday to clean up a massive palm oil spill, with authorities scooping up more than 90 tonnes of foul-smelling, styrofoam-like clumps in one of the worst environmental disasters to blight the territory's waters.

Dead fish, shells, rocks, plastic bottles and other rubbish could still be found coated with globules of palm oil on beaches across the Chinese-controlled territory six days after the spill caused after two vessels collided in the Pearl River estuary.

The government said it had scooped up 93 tonnes of oil waste, most of it congealed, and the amount left floating on the sea surface had fallen significantly.

Stretches of some of Hong Kong's most popular beaches were still smothered with white clumps of jelly-like palm oil on Wednesday and an accompanying sour stench.

The spill has sparked outrage among some residents and environmentalists and comes just a year after mountains of rubbish washed up on Hong Kong's beaches, with labels and packaging indicating most of it had come from mainland China.

The government has closed 13 beaches since Sunday, a day after it said it had been informed of the spill by mainland authorities. The Marine Department confirmed the collision happened on Thursday.

Environmental groups have said the size of the spill could bring severe ecological consequences, although the government said preliminary tests showed few traces of oil in affected areas.

Samantha Lee, conservation manager at the World Wildlife Fund in Hong Kong, said 1,000 tonnes of palm oil spilled into the water after the vessels collided, out of a total of 9,000 tonnes.

Media quoted the Environment Bureau as saying the government was discussing the legal liability for the disaster with the shipping company involved, which it declined to identify.

Beach guards collect oil absorbent strips on Cheung Sha beach at Lantau Island in Hong Kong, China August 9, 2017.
Bobby Yip
The impact on the territory's marine life, which includes the endangered Chinese white dolphins - also known as pink dolphins - was not immediately clear.

On Pui O beach on Lantau Island, large stinking clumps of congealed palm oil dotted the shoreline, and a rock formation at one end that children love to climb was coated in the slippery substance.

Scores of workers fanned out to scoop up oil waste, more than 100 black bags of which were piled up early on Wednesday ready to be trucked away.

Slideshow (8 Images)
There was a similar scene on nearby Lamma Island, where authorities and residents have also cleaned up tonnes of oil.

The spill comes at the height of summer, when visitors, campers and holiday makers throng to beaches and outlying islands, especially at weekends.

Hong Kong has sweltered in temperatures of about 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) for more than a week, with little relief expected soon, which some environmentalists fear could worsen the problem by oxidizing the oil.

The possibility of an algae bloom formed by decaying palm oil, which would compete with fish for oxygen, would be a huge threat.

The Environmental Protection Department said it would continue collecting samples from beaches and recommend phased re-opening once the water quality is confirmed safe.

Hong Kong's coastal waters and beaches are often strewn with rubbish from mainland China, where some companies discharge waste into the sea to cut costs, conservationists say.

Additional reporting by Farah Master and Bobby Yip; Editing by Michael Perry and Clarence Fernandez

Video: "Palm oil spill wreaks havoc on Hong Kong beaches"

UPDATE 1-Hong Kong cleans up 93 tonnes of palm oil; beaches smothered by spill
* Stinking clumps of palm oil smother popular beaches
* Govt says amount of oil floating on sea surface has declined
* Impact on marine life yet to be determined (Adds details on clean-up efforts throughout)

Anne Marie Roantree and Donny Kwok Reuters 9 Aug 17;

HONG KONG, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Hong Kong stepped up efforts on Wednesday to clean up a massive palm oil spill, with authorities scooping up more than 90 tonnes of foul-smelling, styrofoam-like clumps in one of the worst environmental disasters to blight the territory's waters.

Dead fish, shells, rocks, plastic bottles and other rubbish could still be found coated with globules of palm oil on beaches across the Chinese-controlled territory six days after the spill caused after two vessels collided in the Pearl River estuary.

The government said it had scooped up 93 tonnes of oil waste, most of it congealed, and the amount left floating on the sea surface had fallen significantly.

Stretches of some of Hong Kong's most popular beaches were still smothered with white clumps of jelly-like palm oil on Wednesday and an accompanying sour stench.

The spill has sparked outrage among some residents and environmentalists and comes just a year after mountains of rubbish washed up on Hong Kong's beaches, with labels and packaging indicating most of it had come from mainland China.

The government has closed 13 beaches since Sunday, a day after it said it had been informed of the spill by mainland authorities. The Marine Department confirmed the collision happened on Thursday.

Environmental groups have said the size of the spill could bring severe ecological consequences, although the government said preliminary tests showed few traces of oil in affected areas.

Samantha Lee, conservation manager at the World Wildlife Fund in Hong Kong, said 1,000 tonnes of palm oil spilled into the water after the vessels collided, out of a total of 9,000 tonnes.

Media quoted the Environment Bureau as saying the government was discussing the legal liability for the disaster with the shipping company involved, which it declined to identify.

The impact on the territory's marine life, which includes the endangered Chinese white dolphins - also known as pink dolphins - was not immediately clear.

On Pui O beach on Lantau Island, large stinking clumps of congealed palm oil dotted the shoreline, and a rock formation at one end that children love to climb was coated in the slippery substance.

Scores of workers fanned out to scoop up oil waste, more than 100 black bags of which were piled up early on Wednesday ready to be trucked away.

There was a similar scene on nearby Lamma Island, where authorities and residents have also cleaned up tonnes of oil.

The spill comes at the height of summer, when visitors, campers and holiday makers throng to beaches and outlying islands, especially at weekends.

Hong Kong has sweltered in temperatures of about 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) for more than a week, with little relief expected soon, which some environmentalists fear could worsen the problem by oxidising the oil.

The possibility of an algae bloom formed by decaying palm oil, which would compete with fish for oxygen, would be a huge threat.

The Environmental Protection Department said it would continue collecting samples from beaches and recommend phased re-opening once the water quality is confirmed safe.

Hong Kong's coastal waters and beaches are often strewn with rubbish from mainland China, where some companies discharge waste into the sea to cut costs, conservationists say. (Additional reporting by Farah Master and Bobby Yip; Editing by Michael Perry and Clarence Fernandez)


Beaches shut after palm oil spill in Hong Kong
Channel NewsAsia 7 Aug 17;

HONG KONG: Ten beaches typically packed on a hot weekend were closed in Hong Kong on Sunday (Aug 6) due to a palm oil spillage from a ship collision in mainland Chinese waters.

Photographs showed styrofoam-like clumps lining the shores, while the waters at a fishing village popular with tourists were seen covered in oil and rubbish.

Hong Kong comprises more than 200 islands, many with popular beaches, but there are increasing concerns about pollution and rubbish blighting the city's shores.

The government closed six beaches and hoisted warning flags after "white, oily substances" were spotted on the waters and sands off southern Hong Kong's outlying islands on Sunday morning, according to a statement.

Four additional beaches on the southern coast of the main Hong Kong Island were shut when beach staffers found "white, granular substances" on them, the statement added.

Despite the rise of debris on beaches, washed ashore from mainland China and other parts of Hong Kong, residents in areas affected by the spillage said they have never seen anything like the congealed oil lumps.

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"It had a sort of bubbly consistency," said a resident of Lamma Island quoted by the South China Morning Post, who added the substances were strewn along the high-tide line.

Others cited a rancid smell later in the afternoon, the paper reported.

The leakage was caused by the crash between two vessels near the Pearl River estuary in southern China on Thursday, the marine department confirmed.

While oil spills from ships are relatively common in Hong Kong, the edible palm oil may have hazardous effects once it has absorbed toxins in the ocean, according to Gary Stokes of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, quoted by the South China Morning Post.

Source: AFP/ec


Anger mounts in Hong Kong over massive palm oil spill
Channel NewsAsia 8 Aug 17;

HONG KONG: Residents in Hong Kong desperately tried to clear the coastline of greasy lumps of palm oil on Tuesday (Aug 8) as it continues to wash ashore after a huge spillage at sea.

Their efforts came as the government said around 1,000 tonnes of the solidified oil had spilled from a cargo ship after a collision with another vessel near the Pearl River estuary in southern China Thursday.

It was the first time authorities had confirmed how much had been spilled.

Around 200 tonnes is likely to reach Hong Kong's shores, deputy environment chief Tse Chin-wan told reporters.

Thirteen of the city's most popular swimming spots are closed after white clumps of the oil started appearing Sunday.

Official cleaning teams have been sent to clear it from beaches and surrounding waters.

But criticism of the government's response is mounting.

On Wednesday afternoon a team of local volunteers from Lamma Island in the south of Hong Kong braved sweltering heat and humidity to comb one of the worst-affected beaches, filling black bin bags with the lumps of oil.)

A sour stench hung over the area and small numbers of dead fish were washing in.

The surrounding pathways were slippery with oil that had melted as temperatures hit 33°C.

"The government should put in more effort to clean up. I'm here because no one else is doing it," Tony Mok, 31, told AFP.

"Every morning it looks like it has snowed in Hong Kong and every afternoon it's all melted back down under the sand," said Lamma resident Robert Lockyer, who was leading the two dozen volunteers working to remove the oily white clumps.

Aleli Pena, 38, described the clean-up effort as "hard, hot and disgusting".

"We're all volunteers. Where are you government?" she asked.

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE?

Others said government cleaners had been working hard, but questioned why more had not been done to intercept the oil before it reached the beaches.

Environment campaigner Gary Stokes said the government should have installed pollution booms - a kind of floating barrier - to stop the oil reaching the beaches.

Stokes, Asia Director for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, has written to the marine department asking them to install the booms to guard against more oil washing in.

Tse had said earlier that he would not rule out the oil spreading to other areas.

The government has repeatedly described the palm oil as non-toxic and "harmless" to humans.

"You will see that many instant noodles have palm oil in them," Tse said Wednesday, although he acknowledged a large amount would affect the environment.

Stokes said the oil was hazardous to wildlife because it attracts bacteria and had left a greasy film on the water which would reduce the supply of oxygen.

After examining the waters by boat himself, he told AFP the fish were "going crazy" for the lumps of oil and eating it, with unknown consequences.

The government has been questioned over why it was not notified by mainland authorities until Saturday of the Thursday spill.

Tse said it was only then that Chinese authorities realised it would spread to "other regions".

The marine department then dispatched ships to try to recover some of the oil, he said.

So far 50 tonnes had been gathered in Hong Kong and 38 tonnes in Guangdong, Tse added.
Source: AFP/aa


Hong Kong scoops up 158 tonnes of palm oil; reopens five beaches
Reuters 11 Aug 17;

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong has reopened five of 13 beaches closed since last Sunday following a palm oil spill, after authorities collected more than 150 tonnes of acrid-smelling clumps in one of the Chinese territory's worst environmental disasters.

The spill last week after two vessels collided in the Pearl River estuary left white globs of jelly-like palm oil in the water and strewn across beaches, along with dead fish, rocks, shells and rubbish smothered in the oil.

On Friday the government said five of the 13 popular beaches around the former British colony have been reopened. All of these beaches had been closed since last Sunday.

Over 300 staff had been deployed to tackle the oil waste, the government said, while scores of volunteers also helped to scoop up the waste into black plastic bags.

The spill sparked outrage among some residents and environmentalists and comes just a year after mountains of rubbish washed up on Hong Kong's beaches, with labels and packaging indicating most of it had come from mainland China.

The Under Secretary for the Environment Tse Chin-wan said on Thursday the situation was becoming more stable.

The spill comes at the peak of summer, when visitors, campers and holiday makers throng to beaches and outlying islands, especially at weekends.

Environment groups have warned the spill could have severe ecological consequences, with Hong Kong's sweltering summer temperatures raising the threat of a harmful algae bloom that would compete with fish for oxygen.

The government said water samples in affected areas showed oil content remained at low levels, but Tse warned that there might still be traces of the palm oil pellets in the sand.

Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said it was monitoring the impact on the fishing industry and the marine parks.

The effect on marine life, which includes the endangered Chinese white dolphins - also known as pink dolphins - and green turtles was not immediately clear.

Hong Kong's coastal waters and beaches are often strewn with rubbish from mainland China, where some companies discharge waste into the sea to cut costs, conservationists say.

Reporting by Farah Master; Editing by Richard Pullin & Shri Navaratnam

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