China’s biggest artificial breeding base for Siberian tigers is expected to have more than 1,000 tigers by 2010.

 

The Siberian Tiger Park, in Harbin, capital of the northeastern Heilongjiang Province, has more than 100 cubs born each year.

 

The park has more than 620 Siberian tigers and the number is expected to exceed 700 this year, said park General Manager Wang Ligang.

 

About 50 female tigers are expected to give birth this year, Wang said.

 

Siberian tigers, also known as Amur or Manchurian tigers, are among the world's 10 most endangered species and mostly live in northeast China and the far east of Russia.

 

There are estimated to be just 400 in the wild, of which 10 to 17 live in northeast China.

 

Survival rate of cubs in the Harbin park exceeds 90 percent, Wang said.

 

(Shanghai Daily July 4, 2006)