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First-ever photo of wild Siberian tiger taken in China

A remote camera clicked the first known photograph of a wild Siberian or Amur tiger in northern China last week, providing strong evidence that tigers are crossing from the Russian Far East to repopulate previous tiger strongholds. The tiger was photographed in Jilin Province’s Hunchun Nature Reserve. Staff members at the reserve set up the camera-trap after a local farmer reported that a predator killed a mule. The next day, they retrieved the film and discovered the image of an adult tiger feeding on the carcass.

From the Wildlife Conservation Society:
First-ever photo of wild Siberian tiger taken in China

Adult tiger photographed last week by remote camera in the Hunchun Nature Reserve in Jilin Province. This is the first known photograph of a Siberian tiger taken in China. Photo credit: Wildlife Conservation Society.

NEW YORK (Feb. 6) — A remote camera clicked the first known photograph of a wild Siberian or Amur tiger in northern China last week, providing strong evidence that tigers are crossing from the Russian Far East to repopulate previous tiger strongholds, the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced today.

The tiger was photographed in Jilin Province’s Hunchun Nature Reserve, which WCS helped establish in 2001. Working in partnership with WCS, staff members at the reserve set up the camera-trap after a local farmer reported that a predator killed a mule. The next day, they retrieved the film and discovered the image of an adult tiger feeding on the carcass.

The reserve, on the western side of the border between Russia and China, provides a corridor of habitat so tigers can disperse from Russia and repopulate areas of China where they once lived. Poaching of tigers for traditional Chinese medicine, along with over-hunting of their prey species, wiped out populations in China. Yet much of their habitat remained intact. With increased enforcement of hunting laws, WCS scientists were confident that tigers would return.

“The photo of a wild tiger in Hunchun Nature Reserve represents not only the reserve’s recent progress, but also a bright beginning for Amur tiger conservation in the future,” said Dr. Endi Zang, of The Wildlife Conservation Society.

This May, The Wildlife Conservation Society will open “Tiger Mountain,” a spectacular three-acre, interactive tiger exhibit that links zoo visitors with field conservation efforts, including those in China and the Russian Far East.




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14 thoughts on “First-ever photo of wild Siberian tiger taken in China”

  1. hi im patience i am 13 i am doin a english project on endangered animals and i feel strongly about people hurtin animals its terrible, just stop.

  2. Hi im jackie and i’m 11 and i am doing a science project on the enviroment. I decided to do an endangered animal and i love tigers so i picked one species… the siberian tiger. I am heartbroken to hear about all the pain the tigers are having to go through.
    Jackie

  3. I do respect to “Tiger Mountain”, the wildlife conservation society. I am sure that these type of activities will definately help us to re-establish the dignity of TIGERS.

    I belong to merinews, which is a participatory media platform. We have recently started a special coverage on the Tiger Conservation, in which we have a discussion going on regarding tigers’ future in India. I’m sure you have something interesting on the subject to share with our readers.

    I would like to invite you to participate in this discussion. You can share about your experiences and insights on this subject.

    You are welcome to express your voice here: Click Here

    To read more articles, Click Here

    Puja

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