A new children’s picture book highlighting mangrove conservation and wetland ecology was launched yesterday at the 29th Macau Book Carnival, aiming to raise environmental awareness while strengthening understanding of the shared natural heritage between Macau and Hengqin.
Published by The Macanese Publishing LTD. and Macau Animation and Comics Play Association, “Paw Paw Dragon: The Secret Maze of the Mangroves” (爪瓜龍之紅樹林裡的秘密宮) was unveiled during a book launch at the public Macao Polytechnic University’s (MPU) Sports Pavilion in Zape.
Created by company’s publisher Cheong In Cheng and illustrated by Ip Sin Man, whose pen name is “Chlorophyll”, the Chinese-language book aims to encourage ecological conservation and introduces readers to the importance of mangrove ecosystems, highlighting the ecological connection shared by Macau and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
Speaking at the launch, Cheong said the mangroves linking Hengqin and Macau are an important ecological asset for both places. Cheong said she hopes that the picture book will help readers, particularly children, better understand the value of the “sea forest” and the environmental challenges it faces, including plastic pollution and habitat degradation. Cheong added that her company plans to release a wetland observation guide and organise family-friendly educational visits to wetlands in Hengqin and Cotai, allowing participants to turn what they learn from the book into practical conservation action.
She also introduced Paw Paw Dragon as her company’s original Macau intellectual property (IP), noting that the character will be featured in future educational materials, cultural products and outdoor learning activities to promote environmental education and strengthen awareness of the shared natural resources between Macau and Hengqin.
Meanwhile, Ip said that the Paw Paw Dragon IP will join cultural and creative exhibitions in Dongguan, Guangzhou, Shantou and Shanghai later this year to share Macau’s cultural stories with a wider audience.
The story follows a young girl who teams up with Paw Paw Dragon to rescue a mudskipper trapped by plastic waste in Hengqin’s Mangzhou Wetland Park, introducing children to wetland wildlife while promoting ecological knowledge, empathy and environmental responsibility.
This photo taken at the public Macao Polytechnic University’s (MPU) Sports Pavilion in Zape yesterday shows the newly launched Chinese-language picture book “Paw Paw Dragon: The Secret Maze of the Mangroves”, at the 10-day 29th Macau Book Carnival in Zape. – Photo: Khalel Vallo
