The
South China tiger (Panthera
tigris amoyensis) is perhaps the most critically endangered of the five
remaining tiger subspecies. Though its status is largely unknown due to
a lack of empirical data, it is estimated that fewer than 20 individuals
may remain in the wild. The estimate is based primarily upon anecdotal
sighting reports from former hunters, as officials have not actually seen
a South China tiger in more than 20 years. This precarious dilemma necessitates
that immediate conservation priorities be established, and that action
be taken to determine if recovery of the wild population is possible.
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The Tiger Foundation, the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and Save China's Tigers (a UK
based conservation group), are currently supporting the Chinese State
Forestry Administration to train, equip and advise five Chinese field
survey teams so that they can census the South China tigers presumed to
remain. Any
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surviving tigers will be distributed in 11 protected areas within the provinces of Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi and Fujian in south central China. There are 19 reserves listed by the Chinese State Forestry Administration within the supposed range of the South China tiger, but they are spatially fragmented, and most are too small to support viable tiger populations. | |||
In March
2001, The Tiger Foundation team conducted a training workshop in field methodology,
including how to perform scientific interviews;execute techniques for tiger,
prey, habitat quality and threat assessment; and use infrared camera technology
as well as develop a GIS map-linked database of all field observations.
Much of this technology and expertise was developed and perfected during
the last five years of the groundbreaking Sumatran Tiger Project. For six
months, beginning in the spring of 2001, two members of our team will accompany
the Chinese field survey teams for several weeks. The objective is to find
and photograph as many South China tigers as possible and to combine these
photos with the relational tiger field database. Thus, the SFA can establish
the location and number of South China tigers remaining in the wild, what
their probability of survival is, and what is necessary to secure their
future.
Please stay tuned for breaking news on this extraordinary initiative. |
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THE SOUTH
CHINA TIGER PROJECT
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