About Them
Habitat and Diet
These tigers were once found throughout southern and central China. Their numbers were estimated to be in the thousands before the rise of poaching.
These tigers were once found throughout southern and central China. Their numbers were estimated to be in the thousands before the rise of poaching.
They dwell in dense tropical forests forests and mountain areas, preferring isolation over group-living. Much of their habitat is either destroyed or uninhabitable due to deforestation. Consequently, it is widely believed that none can currently be found in the wild at all.
The South China Tiger's main diet consists of deer, cattle, and wild oxen and boar. It's stellar sense of smell, quick movements, and powerful body let the tiger hunt prey efficiently and effortlessly. Better swimmers than climbers, South China Tigers are often able to attack and subdue their prey in water. They stalk their target, waiting until the last possible moment to pounce. These creatures have no natural predators, with the exception of humans.
Their Struggle
In 1979, China made it illegal to hunt South China Tigers. However, that did not fix the growing problem of the tigers' declining population. The animal is categorized as critically endangered, meaning it faces a giant risk of extinction in the wild. This is just one category away from total extinction in the wild. There are South China Tigers in zoos across South Africa where they are attempting to be bred and preparing to be reintroduced to the wild.
Published by Caitie Reza at Hart High School 2014