South China tigers, one of the most endangered species in the world, are given a wild paradise in east China's Jiangxi province where the animal had once prospered.

The original nature reserve was doubled to 58,600 hectares after experts detected traces of the tigers and drew the conclusion that at least five south China tigers lived in the area.

A core area covered by shrubs and about five kilometers wide and 15 kilometers long was mapped out to keep out human activity and to give the tigers better living surroundings.

The awareness of tiger protection has been raised considerably in the area as well. The local government has recently stopped some farmers who planned to capture the tiger that killed a fellow villager.

(Xinhua 02/10/2001)