The rare and beautiful Chinese White Dolphin in its preferred swimming grounds of the Pearl River Estuary

Many are delighted to discover that this beautiful species, more formally known as the sousa chinensis or Indo-Pacific Humpback, makes its home in the Pearl River Estuary that straddles Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China's Guangdong waters.

So captivated was Hong Kong-based journalist Bill Leverett that in 1996, he thought of a way to help conserve the precious white dolphin - and Hong Kong Dolphinwatch was born.

Despite its common name, the adult of this species appears to be pink, as sunlight has a harder time penetrating the silty waters of its preferred swimming grounds in the Pearl River Estuary. The young, however, have light grey skin for their first few years.

When Mr Leverett first went out on an observation boat trip with Friends of the Earth in 1996, he was immediately struck by the frailty of this rare species, whose home included one of the world's busiest harbours and waterways. Bill and his wife set up Hong Kong Dolphinwatch, initially operating from their home in the outlying island of Peng Chau, to bring public attention to the species by running sensitively controlled dolphin-spotting trips.

The business later moved office to Tsim Sha Tsui to capitalise on the area's abundance of visiting tourists. When the Leveretts left Hong Kong last year, they sold the company to some of its employees, who still operate three tours per week, as well as private charters.

Half-day tours are available so that even people who only spend a few days in Hong Kong can still have time to experience the dolphins.

Participation is easy. After booking through the company website or local tour operators (some overseas travel agents also make reservations) there are pick-ups in a minibus at hotels in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. Then on a drive to the boat in Tsing Yi, Lantau, an informative talk on the dolphin and its Hong Kong habitat is delivered. Tour staff can speak Cantonese, Japanese, English and French.

On board, dolphins are almost always spotted around the small uninhabited islands of Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau, within sight of Chek Lap Kok airport.

The company was the first to offer such tours sensitive to the dolphins' habitat. "We always put the dolphins first," says senior tour co-ordinator Janet Walker. "When we spot some, we often cut the engine but never get too close. Sometimes, though, the dolphins feel like playing and swim right up to the boat, frolicking around right next to us."

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Dolphinwatch