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 The
South China tiger is the most endangered of all the tigers. A
2001 field survey of wild South China tigers by Minnesota Zoo
staff and their Chinese colleagues found no viable wild populations,
with only a remote chance of a few stragglers clinging to survival.
All that is left is the captive population of about 50 individuals.
In 1995 the Minnesota Zoo began working with Chinese zoo officials
to help prevent the extinction of this subspecies. Zoo staff trained
Chinese staff to provide better medical, nutritional, and management
practices to promote reproduction in their small captive population.
In 2001 the Minnesota Zoo assisted Chinese field biologists to
census the wild tiger population. This was the first step towards
a conservation management strategy to create a future for what
remains of wild South China tigers. Since no wild tigers were
found, the Chinese government is formulating a tiger reintroduction
and recovery program.
 Learn
more about the Zoo's tiger conservation programs in China
South
China tiger research (link opens a page on the Zoo-hosted
Tiger Information Center website)
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