HONG KONG, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 190 students from 13 local secondary schools will take part in a year-long programme to gain hands-on experience in preparing an extremely rare whale specimen for public exhibitions scheduled for 2027. The Environment and Conservation Fund "Sea" Through Cetacean: STEAM Student Ambassador Programme & Cetacean Conservation Exhibition, organised by the Division of Science of Lingnan University in collaboration with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Cetacea Research Institute, and Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, was officially launched on 1 February 2026. This initiative builds on the rare stranding of a Longman's beaked whale in Hong Kong in 2024, providing students with a unique opportunity to assist in the preparation of skeletal specimens of one of the world's most mysterious marine mammal species. The project also promotes cetacean conservation and will educate the public in key marine environmental issues, including plastic pollution in the oceans.

The programme has involved over 190 students from 13 secondary schools across Hong Kong. They will assist in the preparation of a complete skeleton of the rare Longman’s beaked whale, with public exhibitions of the specimen scheduled for the second and fourth quarters of 2027.

Dr Eric Cheng Kam-chung, SBS, MH, OStJ, JP Chairman of the Environment and Conservation Fund Committee, delivered a speech at the launch ceremony: "This Environment and Conservation Fund funded project turns a marine ecological conservation event into a highly meaningful educational programme. It is believed that the project will not only raise public awareness of whale and dolphin conservation as well as environmental sustainability but also encourage a deeper reflection on marine ecological conservation."

Dr Chu Chun-wa, Assistant Director (Fisheries and Marine Conservation) of the Fisheries and Marine Conservation Branch of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), said "The AFCD has long been committed to promoting marine conservation. We believe this skeletal preparation programme will cultivate a sense of responsibility among young people towards marine ecology, foster greater interest in fisheries and marine conservation, transform scientific knowledge into action, and facilitate the long-term protection of biodiversity in Hong Kong waters.

Prof Paulina Wong Pui-yun, Head and Associate Professor (Presidential Early Career Scholar) of Division of Science at Lingnan University, agreed "Complete Longman's beaked whale specimens are extremely rare worldwide, and this has presented a precious opportunity to study rare deep-sea cetaceans. Lingnan University is honoured to host this programme, which allows students to study whale specimens through STEAM interdisciplinary experiences. We hope to teach students to understand marine conservation from multiple perspectives — science, technology, engineering, and arts — so they can become a new generation of ambassadors, spreading conservation messages among the public and raising awareness of the importance of protecting marine ecosystems."

This two-year project, led by Prof Scott Chui Yik-suen, Research Assistant Professor of the Division of Science at Lingnan University, starts with providing introductory training and guidelines on the preparation of whale skeleton specimens to over 190 students from 13 secondary schools across Hong Kong. Students will assist with an 11-month specimen processing procedure and gain hands-on experience in handling, degreasing, measuring, and documenting the condition of the assigned whale skeletal specimens to preserve them for both scientific study and public exhibition. Throughout the process, they will regularly and systematically monitor and record any changes to the specimens, and will also participate in diverse STEAM-based experiential learning activities, including science and conservation lectures, visits to research facilities and marine animal rescue centres, and field trips to Tai O, as well as creating works of art to exhibit. These multidisciplinary skills will help them become ambassadors advocating for cetacean and marine conservation.

In the second phase, the project will extend its reach to the public through two Cetacean Conservation Exhibitions scheduled for the second and fourth quarters of 2027. These will showcase the Longman's beaked whale skeleton prepared with the students' assistance in the first phase, together with specimens of two local cetacean species—the Chinese white dolphin and the finless porpoise. The exhibitions will also display the canvas bag found in the whale's stomach to highlight the threats of plastic pollution to marine ecosystems. During the exhibitions, student ambassadors will serve as docents, guiding public tours and describing their own experiences to deliver key messages about cetacean ecology and marine conservation. The digital 3D model and 1:1 3D-printed replica of the Longman's beaked whale skeleton will serve as lasting educational and scientific resources, contributing to 3DTEACH—a newly established educational alliance among universities in Hong Kong. This initiative will create ongoing and lasting value to public education, conservation efforts, and the scientific community.

Prof Chui said "There are typically 20 to 50 cases of dolphin stranding reported in Hong Kong each year, predominantly involving two local cetacean species—Chinese white dolphins and finless porpoises. Strandings of other species are rarer, with only a few reported annually. Cetaceans inhabiting inshore habitats, such as Chinese white dolphins and finless porpoises, are particularly susceptible to threats from human activities, including coastal development, marine traffic, and pollution. Plastic debris and fishing hooks are sometimes found in the stomachs of stranded animals, and entanglement in abandoned fishing nets and gear is not uncommon. One study even found up to 145 microplastic particles in the stomach of a stranded Chinese white dolphin in the Pearl River Estuary, highlighting the critical issue of plastic pollution in the marine ecosystem. We hope to educate the public in environmental issues such as cetacean conservation and marine plastic pollution through this project."

Participating Secondary Schools (in alphabetical order):
Diocesan Boys' School
DMHC Siu Ming Catholic Secondary School
Elegantia College
HKCCCU Logos Academy
Kau Yan College
La Salle College
Lingnan Hang Yee Memorial Secondary School
Po Leung Kuk Laws Foundation College
St. Catharine's School for Girls
Sha Tin Methodist College
Shun Tak Fraternal Association Leung Kau Kui College
The ELCHK Yuen Long Lutheran Secondary School
Ying Wa College

About the Longman's beaked whale
The Longman's beaked whales (Indopacetus pacificus), also known as Indo-Pacific beaked whales or tropical bottlenose whales, belong to the beaked whale family (Ziphiidae) within the order Cetacea. They live in the deep, open, tropic waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and are rarely seen near coastal waters. As of 2021, there have only been seven other complete skeleton specimens of Longman's beaked whales reported worldwide, and they are widely regarded as one of the most mysterious and least understood marine mammals.

Source: Lingnan University