Siberian tigers, leopards numbers on rise
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The number of wild Siberian tigers and Amur leopards in the forests of northeast China’s Jilin Province has gone up, authorities said yesterday.
A recent survey showed that there were 11 to 13 wild Siberian tigers and 10 to 13 Amur leopards in the forests around the Changbai Mountains, said Qiao Heng, deputy director of the Jilin Provincial Forestry Department.
The last time a similar survey was carried out was in 1998 when US and Russian scientists counted between six to nine tigers and three to seven leopards in the area.
On October 9, a group of scientists, armed with infrared equipment video footage, managed to get pictures of an Amur adult leopard with two cubs — both about six months old — in the Wangqing National Natural Reserve in Jilin.
On November 6, the same group of scientists spotted footprints of a Siberian tiger along with three cubs in forests administered by the Hunchun Forestry Bureau.
The scientists have collected key evidence on the population structure of these rare animals, as well as the areas in which they are active, in the forests of Sino-Russian border regions.
“The Wangqing and Hunchun forests have become the country’s most important breeding grounds of the two rare wild species as their habitats have greatly improved,” said Qiao.
The hope of restoring the wild population of Siberian tigers and Amur leopards also lies with the region, he added.
Amur leopards and Siberian tigers, also known as Amur or Manchurian tigers, mainly live in east Russia, northeast China and northern parts of the Korean Peninsula.
Some 500 Siberian tigers and 40 Amur leopards are thought to currently out in the wild.
“The frequent spotting of the two endangered species of big cats indicates that their habitats are expanding and highlights the importance of restoring the ecosystem, which is critical for species reproduction,” said Jiang Guangshun, a professor of animal protection at Northeast Forestry University.
The wild Siberian tiger population began to decline after humans began developing the local forestry industry in recent decades. Poachers have also been blamed for the dwindling numbers.
In May, the State Forestry Administration put the number of wild tigers in China at 18 to 22, and aims to increase that to 40 by the 2022. Jilin has adopted various conservation measures like setting up monitoring networks, infrared cameras, as well as cracking down on poaching.
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