The South China tiger is a critically endangered subspecies that once inhabited dense forests in southern China. In the 1950s, there were an estimated 4,000 individuals in the wild, but unregulated hunting, habitat loss, and other factors caused populations to plummet to just 30-80 individuals by the 1990s. Extensive surveys since then have failed to reliably confirm any wild South China tigers still exist, so the subspecies is considered functionally extinct in the wild.

2. SOUTH CHINA TIGER
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Panthera
Scientific Name: Panthera Tigris Amoyensis
Type: Mammal
Diet: Carnivore
Size: 2.3m - 2.8m (7.5ft - 9ft)
Weight: 100kg - 195kg (221lbs - 430lbs)
Top Speed: 96km/h (60mph)
Life Span: 18 - 25 years
Lifestyle: Solitary
Conservation Status: Endangered
Colour: Orange, Black, White
Skin Type: Fur
Favourite Food: Deer
Habitat: Dense tropical forest
Average Litter Size: 3
Main Prey: Deer, Cattle, Wild Boar
Predators: Human
Special Features: Striped fur and powerful body

3. TIMELINE
In the early 1950s –
4000 individuals in
the wild
In the year 1977- Classified as
protected and hunting
prohibited
In the year 1982 – Estimated
150-200 in the wild
In the year 1987 – Estimated

4. REASONS OF REDUCED NUMBERS
IT WAS LISTED AS A PEST BY THE CHINA GOVERNMENT
UNCONTROL HUNTING
EXTENSIVE DEFORESTATION
LARGE-SCALE RELOCATION OF URBAN POPULATIONS TO RURAL AREAS

5. • TOURISM
- DISPLAYED TO PUBLIC IN ZOOS OR WILDLIFE AREAS
- RAISES INCOME FOR THE GOVERNMENT
- CONSIDERED AS ONE OF THE MAIN ATTRACTION
• BODY PARTS USED AS TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
- PARTS OF THE TIGER SUCH AS THEIR HUMERUS (UPPER
LEG BONE) PRESCRIBED TO TREAT RHEUMATISM
- BELIEF: TIGER BONES HELP TO BECOME AS STRONG AND
FEROCIOUS AS TIGER

6. • AS DECORATIONS AND ACCESSORIES
- SKIN AS FLOOR RAG, CLOTHES, WALLETS AND ETC.
- SEVERED HEAD AS WALL HANGINGS
- TEETH AS NECKLACE

7. ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE
• BALANCE THE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH OF AN
ECOSYSTEM
- DOMINANT PREDATOR
- ENSURE NUMBER OF PREY HERBIVORES ARE
KEPT IN CHECK
• MAINTAIN CARBON STORAGE VALUE
- IF TIGER POPULATION REDUCE, RISE IN PREY
HERBIVORE POPULATION, DESTROY FOREST BY
CONSUMING TREES AND PLANTS
- LESS FOREST, LESS OXYGEN, CONTRIBUTE TO
GLOBAL WARMING

8. • INVOLVES IN A SYMBIOTIC
RELATIONSHIP:
- COMMENSALISM RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE GOLDEN JACKAL OR
CANIS AUREUS
- LONE JACKAL THAT ARE NOT IN A
PACK, FOLLOWS A SPECIFIC TIGER
TO OBTAIN FOOD
- THE LONE JACKAL BENEFITS FROM
THIS RELATIONSHIP, THE TIGER IS
NOT AFFECTED

9. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL CONDITION WITH
CURRENT CONDITION
1970
2000
2017
 Since 1996, listed as Critically Endangered on IUCN Red List
 Possible extinction in the wild since 1970s
 1990s, continued survival was considered unlikely
 Only 4000 individuals were estimated in the early 1950s
 1996, estimated 30-80 individuals only
 Chinese government banned hunting
 1973, south china tigers classified as protected by controlled hunting
 1977, hunting them was prohibited. May lead to prosecution
 2001, field studies conducted
 2007, 14th conference of the parties to CITES, tiger farming and domestic
trade of tiger products in china were called to stop
 2017, considered by scientists to be functionally extinct
 Has not been sighted for more than 25 years in the wild