Skip to content
Home » content

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.

Permalink

February 6, 2003

Comments

Amur tigers

February 22, 2009 by Anonymous, 37 weeks 10 hours ago
Comment id: 34759

Hi Amanda, I'm doing a report on Amur tigers and I think it's gross what the Chinese are doing to the tigers(the Russian are trying to protect them).

tigers rule

November 10, 2008 by Anonymous, 51 weeks 6 days ago
Comment id: 32786

why should we kill tigers it wont help anyone they will just go on the exitant list so dont kill them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS: If you kill a tiger i hope you get in trouble!

>_< Mean people to kill a rare and beautiful animal!

April 2, 2008 by Anonymous, 1 year 31 weeks ago
Comment id: 28484

People shouldn't kill siberian tigers for their fur or because they think their going to hurt them there not their protecting their cubs or running away to hide! They have fellings too!!!! Also there is only 2,000 left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We need to protect them by law around the world, like what they did with the blade egale and look at its population then and now! This is a HORRIBLE Aritcal! I'm trying to make a stand and people need to take a stand too!! by the way , i was looking for a life story on wild siberian tigers and i accidently clicked this and read it, WHO EVER POSTED THIS, I HOPE U GET ATTACKED BY A TIGER!!!!!

(My new 1 lol sorry about the old 1)

oops (again)

April 2, 2008 by Anonymous, 1 year 31 weeks ago
Comment id: 28483

typing!!

oops

April 2, 2008 by Anonymous, 1 year 31 weeks ago
Comment id: 28482

oops i make typind errors sorry!

>_< Mean People!!

April 2, 2008 by Anonymous, 1 year 31 weeks ago
Comment id: 28481

People shouldn't kill siberian tigers for their fur or because they think their going to hurt them there not their protecting their cubs or running away to hide! They have fellings too!!!! Also there is only 2,000 left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We need to protect them by law around the world, like what er did with the blad egale and look at its population them and now! This is a HORRIBLE Aritcal! I'm trying to make a stand and people need to take a stand too!! by the way , i was looking for a life story on wild siberian tigers and i accidently clicked this and read it, who ever posted this i hope u get attacked by a wild tiger!!!!!

:*( so sad, makes me so mad!

March 24, 2008 by Anonymous, 1 year 32 weeks ago
Comment id: 28290

I'm Amanda and i'm 17 and doing a report on tigers it it horrible what they do to them! HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P!!!!

hi im patience i am 13 i am

December 10, 2007 by Anonymous, 1 year 47 weeks ago
Comment id: 26389

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.

tigers the LAST CRISIS

November 28, 2007 by Anonymous, 1 year 49 weeks ago
Comment id: 26184

my name is jeeffrey from charllote nc , lots of youth response son hear htats good, tigers are expected to be EXTINCT in the wild by 2020 at the latest, i want to take my kids to see tigers ibt he wild but that dream might stay a dream if populations keep declining.....im startung an aquaculture buissiness to help our oceans, i have always loved moeny but still wanted to do do something i love with a pssion, as u youngins are thinking wat u want to do with ur life, do something u have a ASSION andLOVE for, everything will click together eventually, so if you are passionate about tigers DONT WAIT or HESITATE, these cre4atures need inovative minds like u to help protect there DIM future, it must be donw NOW.

Why

November 1, 2007 by Anonymous, 2 years 1 week ago
Comment id: 25782

Why would you somthing like this to tigers they are very pretty and by the way my name is Allyson and I am 14

its just plain mean

May 4, 2007 by megan (not verified), 2 years 27 weeks ago
Comment id: 22986

hi my name is meagn and im a year 10 student and im doing an assignment on siberian tigers and it revolting what people do to these poor animals

how could people do this?

April 4, 2007 by Anonymous, 2 years 31 weeks ago
Comment id: 20220

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

Lets Re- Establish the Dignity of TIGER

July 16, 2006 by Anonymous, 3 years 16 weeks ago
Comment id: 1804

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

Post new comment



About us

Science Blog was started in August 2002. It lives, breathes and eats press releases from research organizations around the globe. Most of what you read here are press releases from the outfits named in the stories themselves. Got a news story you think belongs here? Let's talk. The other half of the equation is blog posts from readers like you. So if you have an interest in science, please register and join others like you in an ongoing, vibrant dialog about what makes the world tick. Meantime, please take a minute to read our Privacy Policy and Site Disclaimer.