Chinese zoologists claim to have discovered previously unknown
passages through which wild Siberian tigers migrate between border
areas of China and Russia, a finding that could help protect the
extremely endangered species.
A 25-kilometer section between Xitong and Xilinzi in
northeastern Heilongjiang Province, on the west bank of the
Wusuli River, the boundary between China and Russia, has been found
to be the main route for the species, said Sun Haiyi, deputy head
of the Heilongjiang Provincial Wildlife Research Institute.
A group of zoologists headed by Sun has been monitoring the
movements of tigers in the border areas since January 2004.
The area to the east of Mount Wanda and the Mount Laoye range in
northeastern Heilongjiang shares a 600-km border with Russia.
Sun said the tigers cross the border over the frozen Wusuli
River in winter and swim across during the other seasons.
Based on the monitoring results, Sun said there could be other
crossing points for individual animals.
Siberian tigers mostly live in northeast China and the far
eastern areas of Russia. There are estimated to be just 400 animals
in the wild.
The monitoring carried out by Sun and his colleagues shows there
are 10 to 14 Siberian tigers living in China.
Their habitat has shrunk drastically as a result of expanding
human activity that have put the tigers on the verge of extinction,
Sun said.
The discovery of the passage is significant to any recovery of
their numbers, Sun said.
Sun suggested government officials from China and Russia take
active measures to protect tigers using the passage.
"That could lead to an increase in the number of wild Siberian
tigers in both countries," Sun said.
Chinese scientists have made great progress in using artificial
propagation to prevent the extinction of tigers, especially
Siberian tigers, according to the State Forestry
Administration.
To date, more than 1,300 Siberian tigers have been raised in
captivity in China.
In May, China Daily reported that the Siberian Tiger
Park in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province,
is expecting about 100 new cubs this year.
The park, which has only Siberian tigers, is the world's biggest
artificial breeding base for the rare species.
About a quarter of the park's 200 females of fertile age are
expected to bring the total number of tigers there to more than
700.
However, park officials said the fast increase has obviously
made the 144-hectare park's compounds more crowded and rendered its
facilities inadequate.
(China Daily June 13, 2006)