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South China Tiger

Possibly extinct in the wild?

Scientific Name: Panthera tigris amoyensis

Location: China

Background

Thought to be the ancestor of all tigers, the South China subspecies was estimated to number 4,000 in the early 1950s. But following decades of extermination as a pest, the subspecies has now not been sighted in the wild for more than 25 years, and is believed by many scientists to be “functionally extinct”. A few individuals may remain, but hope for their survival is slim as there is neither adequate habitat nor prey left.

Physical Description

Color
The upper part of the animal ranges from reddish orange to ochre, and the under parts are whitish. The body has a series of black striations of black to dark grey colour.

Habitat

Biogeographic realm
Indo-Malayan

Range States
China

Geographical Location
China

Ecological Region
Southeast China-Hainan Moist Forests

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Danger Watch

A species relative risk of extinction, as determined by the IUCN - The World Conservation Union. More

  1. Link Title

    Extinct

    No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.

  2. Link Title

    Extinct in the Wild

    Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalized population.

  3. Link Title

    Critically Endangered

    Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

  4. Link Title

    Endangered

    Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

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    Vulnerable

    Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

  6. Link Title

    Near Threatened

    Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.

  7. Link Title

    Least Concern

    Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endagnered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened

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Tiger Mosaic

Tiger mosaic

Click the photo above to view a photo gallery of the unveiling of the award winning Tiger mosaic, which sat on the lawn in front of the CITES convention for the duration of the two-week meeting - June 2007

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