south china tiger
The South China Tiger, panthera tigris amoyensis, is one of the smallest subspecies of tiger. Other names for this creature are Amor Tiger and Xiamen Tiger.
Size
A fully grown male South China tiger will weigh around 150 kg (330 lbs). this is just over half the size of the Siberian tiger, which is the largest tiger subspecies. Females are smaller.
an enemy of the people
In 1959, as part of the Great Leap Forward, President Mao Zedong declared that this animal was the enemy of the people. Before this, there were more than 4,000 of these tigers in the wild. Most were killed.
In 1982, the Chinese government reversed its policy of killing tigers and they are now protected.
critically endangered
The wild population of the South China tiger is estimated to be about 20, but the accuracy of this estimate is highly doubtful. The captive status of this rare subspecies is more hopeful. There are probably enough tigers in zoos and similar places to save the subspecies.
reconstruction
There is a joint project involving both China and South Africa. Captive South China tigers are raised in South Africa and their cubs are trained to hunt and survive in the wild. Fortunately, tigers are reasonably easy to breed in captivity, and the project’s semi-wild animals are breeding. They will be used to repopulate part of their former range in China.
Issues
Although it seems possible to save this subspecies, there are many problems.
habitat destruction
Much of its habitat has been destroyed and its prey animals have been greatly reduced in number.
Poaching
Tiger parts are used in traditional Chinese medicine. The Chinese government is trying to stop the trade in tiger parts, but it is difficult. The potential profits for tiger poachers are very high, and even the harsh punishments meted out for those caught committing crimes in China have not kept its tigers safe.
Lack of genetic diversity
The current population of this subspecies is very small and they are descended from a very small number of animals. This means that the gene pool is terribly small.
man eating
When there were more of these animals in the wild, they had a reputation for being more likely to become man-eaters than any other type of tiger. This behavior, if summarized, will not tend to endear this creature to the local human population.