The Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve lies at the eastern corner of the New Territories, nestled between Shatin and Tai Po. It was declared a Special Area in 1977. The area contains the most beautiful woodland of Hong Kong, representing decades of afforestation effort undertaken by the Government. With the presence of a wide range of other habitats, such as upland streams, shrublands, marshes, lowlands, etc., the area supports a diverse amphibian fauna.  More than half of the Hong Kong amphibians have been recorded here, including Asian Common Toad, Asiatic Painted Frog, Ornate Pigmy Frog, Marbled Pigmy Frog, Leaf-litter Toad, Hong Kong Cascade Frog, Lesser Spiny Frog, Gunther's Frog, Big-headed Frog, Brown Wood Frog, Paddy Frog, Green Cascade Frog and Brown Tree Frog.

The site is within Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve

Kowloon Motor Bus:

72     Cheung Sha Wan - Tai Wo Estate (Tai Po)

72A   Tai Wai Railway Station - Tai Po Industrial Estate

73A   Yu Chui Court (Shatin) - Choi Yuen Estate (Sheung Shui)

74A   Kwun Tong Ferry Pier - Tai Wo Estate (Tai Po)

Disembark at Tsung Tsai Yuen stop.

Green Minibus:

28K   Shatin (Pak Hok Ting Street) - Tai Po Market Railway Station

Disembark at Tsung Tsai Yuen.

Surveys are conducted by active searching in potential hiding places and breeding grounds such as pools, under rocks and leaf litter, etc.  Tools such as hiking sticks for probing holes along catchwaters, snake hooks and tongs for catching snakes, hand nets for collecting tadpoles, etc. are employed.

For amphibian surveys, night-time auditory detection of calling males at breeding sites, and sampling of tadpoles and eggs in aquatic habitats, are also undertaken.  For snake and lizard surveys, placing of cover boards to increase chances of encountering these animals are also used.

Reptiles

Amphibian