Siberian Tiger and South China Tiger
--source: CWCATigers are the largest of the living cats. They are efficient predators, after a careful stalk, a tiger makes a short rush towards its prey and then quickly bites the back of the animals neck or its throat, causing death as a result of broken vertebrae or suffocation.
There are two species in China: Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) and South China tiger (P. tigris amoyensis). However, the number of Siberian tiger and South China tiger has fallen due to an alarming loss of habit and the demand for their parts in oriental medicine. The number of Siberian tiger is no more than 20 in Northeast of China , 150 in the far east of Russia in the wild. If including breeding tiger in Zoo of world, the total number of Siberian tiger is 350. But South China tiger hasn't so good lucky as Siberian tiger, it is exclusively found in China. A investigation on the number and habit of South China tiger was carried out by WWF and Ministry of Forestry in 1990, but the scientists didn't see a South China tiger, the number of South China tiger is no more than 20 along the southern area of the Yangtze River Valley in the wild by analyzing feet traces and faeces, if including tiger of zoo, the total number of South China tiger about 68, but ratio of male and female is 62.5: 37.5. It is facing inbreeding, old-aged, population degeneration. The South China tiger is one of the most endangered species.
In 1993, a self imposed ban on traditional Chinese medicines made from tiger
parts has cost China hundreds of millions of yuan, but the freeze will remain to
help save them. Traditionally, almost every part of the tigers is used to cue a
variety of ailments and Chinese Doctors are now working hard to replace them
with alternatives, in an effort to protect their numbers. China now has foreign
cooperation to learn new conservation and breeding techniques in an effort to
save its own species of this magnificent animal.
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