Every year around the world, hundreds of millions of animals are released into the wild through the Buddhist practice known as “mercy release.” The tradition is based on the belief that freeing a captured animal creates good karma, bringing a person good fortune in this life and better prospects for the next. Such tradition began hundreds of years ago with spontaneous acts of compassion toward animals and Hong Kong is no stranger to that. Yet, such kind intentions might lead to cruel consequences. The modern day mercy release is simply an act out of selfishness to attain self-satisfaction sugar-coated with compassion and benevolence.

On the most recent Buddha's Birthday, many people were still engaging in “mercy release” Large numbers of animals are released into the sea indiscriminately. Some seafood vendors have even taken advantage of this practice to make a profit.

The Hong Kong Society of Herpetology Foundation visited the North Point pier, a hotspot for animal release activities on the day. They handed out leaflets urging the public not to release animals indiscriminately. Witnesses reported that seafood vendors were selling marine animals, such as fish, clams, crabs, octopuses, and devil fish, for the purpose of releasing them. People were observed releasing these animals either via steel slides or nets.

With the water quality at the piers not being suitable for the released wildlife and the detrimental ecological damage it engenders, “mercy release” may as well be called “cruelty release”.

Hong Kong Society of Herpetology Foundation's animal adoption committee member, Victor Wong Long-yin, said that some people specifically chose animals with large bellies for release, believing that these animals were pregnant. However, it is possible that the abdominal swelling could be due to illness. Some released fish showed signs of injuries and respiratory diseases, which might worsen after being released, leading to an agonizing death.

Wong added that commonly released animals include Brazilian turtles, Chinese softshell turtles, striped marsh frogs, Sabah groupers, clams, and horseshoe crabs. Species like Sabah groupers are cross-bred from two species tiger and flower groupers for the food trade. They do not exist in the wild. Releasing these animals not only causes ecological damage through  the introduction of foreign bacteria and viruses but also creates competition for limited food resources, threatening local animal survival. Wong emphasized that fish species should not be released indiscriminately, as hybrid species like the Sabah grouper could contaminate the local gene pool if they breed in Hong Kong waters.

 Wong urged the public not to participate in animal release activities, suggesting instead to consider volunteering with animal organizations, adopting animals, participating in tree planting days, or adopting a low-carbon lifestyle.

 Wong also called for the government to revise legislation to regulate animal release practices,

 He commented:

‘Macau has “Animal Protection Law”, Taiwan has “Wildlife Conservation Act”, Singapore has “Parks and Trees Act”. The Hong Kong Society of Herpetology hopes that the government will review current legislation and implement relevant regulations as soon as possible.’

 Last year on Buddha's Birthday, a turtle with red characters written on its shell was released and later rescued by the Hong Kong Society of Herpetology Foundation.

Currently, the release of animals causing their suffering is only prosecutable under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance Cap. 169. It carries a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment and a $200,000 fine. However, once animals have been released, it is hard to prove.

Courtesy of Alvin Yiu

Main sources: Hong Kong Animal Post, SPCA, Humane Society International