South China Tiger

Everything You Need to Know About South China Tigers

The South China tiger hasn’t been seen in the wild for over 25 years, a reported sighting by a farmer in 2007 was later discredited. If there are a few remaining individuals in the wild they are most likely to be in the moist forests of southeast China although it is not believed that the population would be viable due to a lack of genetic diversity through small numbers. There are no protected areas of undisturbed healthy tiger habitat large enough to sustain viable tiger populations. Scientists believe this subspecies to be functionally extinct due to the small gene pool associated with captive tigers & any which may exist in the wild.

Did you know?

It is believed to be functionally extinct in the wild, and if non-captive populations still exist they are most likely to be found in the provincial borders in Southeast China.

Tiger Stats

Everything You Need to Know About South China Tigers

South China Tiger
CategoryDetails
Scientific NamePanthera tigris amoyensis
HabitatSub-tropical evergreen forests (montane and lowland).
LocationHistorically Central and Eastern China; now found only in captivity (zoos and reserves).
IUCN ListingCritically Endangered (Possibly Extinct in the Wild)
Population0 in the wild. Approximately 200–240 remain in captivity across Chinese zoos and a rewilding reserve in South Africa.
SizeSmallest mainland subspecies; 2.2–2.6m in length; 100–180kg.
Major ThreatsFunctional extinction due to historical “pest” hunting (1950s–70s), extreme habitat loss, and severe inbreeding in the remaining captive population.

Tiger Facts

Everything You Need to Know About Tigers

Royal Bengal Tiger

Royal Bengal tigers are the most numerous sub-species in the wild with the highest density in India (around 2967 individuals at July 2019).

Indo-Chinese Tiger

The greatest density of Indo-Chinese tigers is found in Thailand. There is a very limited knowledge of the status of these tigers in the wild.

Amur Tiger

Rigorous anti-poaching methods in combination with other conservation efforts in Russia have brought the Amur tiger back from the brink of extinction.

Sumatran Tiger

Smaller and darker than the Royal Bengal tiger, Sumatran Tigers can weigh between 75-150kg, with the males weighing around 30% more than the females

Malayan Tiger

There is little known about the biology of Malayan tigers. They were only identified as a separate sub-species from the Indo-Chinese tiger sub-species in 2004.

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