The South China tiger is a critically endangered subspecies of tiger native to southern China. It was once widely distributed but unregulated hunting reduced populations to an estimated 30-80 individuals by 1996. The South China tiger has not been sighted in the wild for over 25 years and is considered functionally extinct. Conservation efforts aim to protect remaining tigers and habitats to restore wild populations through education, captive breeding programs, and sustainable development initiatives.

1. School of Architecture, Building and Design
Biodiversity in Malaysia (UCM60203U3)
Group Assignment
Topic: South China Tiger or Panthera tigris amoyensis
Name Student ID
Pui Chun Shian 0323470
Chloe Sim Tiing Ern 0322932
Jason Wong Kok Yong 0327650
Adam Wong 0322520

2. PART 1: South China tiger’s richness, distribution and scientific
classification in Malaysia & globally and the biological characteristics
can lead to potential extinction.
The South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) (also known as the
Amoy, Chinese or Xiamen tiger) is a smaller-sized subspecies of tiger native to the
forests of southern China. The South China tiger is the most critically endangered
tiger species with only a handful left in the wild. The South China tiger is natively
found in the temperate upland forests of southern China, where its once wide range
has now been reduced to a few isolated populations, which are said to be found
inhabiting the mountainous borders between provinces. The South China tiger is
one of the smallest species of tiger behind the Sumatran tiger and the Malayan
tiger. As with the other smaller sized tiger species, the small size of the South
China tiger allows it to move through the dense jungle more easily.
Like other tiger species, the South China tiger is known to be a strong and
capable swimmer, often able to catch its prey when it’s in the water. This hunting
strategy only works however if the South China tiger is faster than the animal it is
hunting. The South China tiger is a dominant and carnivorous predator, hunting its
prey by stalking it until the South China tiger can catch it off guard. South China
tigers primarily hunt larger mammals including deer, wild boar, cattle and goats.
Due to the size and power of the South China tiger, it has no natural predators in its
native environment. Humans that hunt the South China tiger and habitat loss are
the only threats to the South China tiger. After a gestation period of 3 to 4 months,
the female South China tiger gives birth to up to 5 cubs. New-born South China
tiger cubs weigh about 1 kg (2 lb) and are blind and helpless. The mother feeds
them milk for about 2 months and then the South China tiger cubs are introduced
to meat. South China tiger cubs depend on their mother for the first 18 months and
then they start hunting on their own.
Today, due to habitat loss caused by deforestation, and hunting by human
poachers, the South China tiger is a critically endangered species. The South China
tiger is the mostcritically endangered species of tiger and one of the 10 most
endangered animals in the world, as there are thought to be less than 20 South
China tigers left in the wild.

3. PART 2: Comparison of the Original Conditions with the Current
Conditions
The South China Tiger has been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN
Red List since the year 1996. It is possibly extinct in the wild since no wild
individual has been recorded since the early 1970s. Already in the late 1990s,
continued survival of this tiger species was considered unlikely due to low prey
density, habitat degradation and fragmentation and other human pressure.
Since the 1980s, the South China Tiger is already considered as a relict
population of the stem tiger. It is the most distinctive of all tiger subspecies. The
population was estimated to number 4,000 individuals in the early 1950s. In the
next few decades, thousands were killed as the subspecies was hunted as a pest.
The Chinese government banned hunting in 1979. By 1996 the population was
estimated to be just 30-80 individuals. The effects of uncontrolled hunting were
compounded byextensive deforestation and probable reduction in available prey,
large scale relocations of urban populations to rural locations leading to
fragmentation of tiger populations and increased vulnerability to local extinction
from stochastic events. In the ear 1973, South China tigers were classified as
protected by controlled hunting. In 1977, they were classified as protected, and
hunting them was prohibited.
In the year 2001, field studies were conducted in 8 protected areas
encompassing 2214km2 in five provinces of central China. At the 14th conference
of the Parties to CITES in 2007, an end to tiger farming and stopping domestic
trade in farmed tiger products in China were called for.
Today, the South China tiger is considered by scientists to be “functionally
extinct,” as it has not been sighted in the wild for more than 25 years. The future
does not look promising for the South China Tiger and it may be the next tiger
subspecies to becomeextinct.

4. PART 3: Economic and Ecological Importance of the South China Tiger
 Economic Importance
With the South China tiger becoming moreand more endangered, the tourism
industry is becoming an income issue for the country. Sincetigers are considered
to be one of the main attraction, they are displayed to the public and in wildlife
areas. This also help raising income for the government. Besides that, someof the
tiger’s body part is also used as traditional Chinese medicine. For example, the
tiger’s upper leg bone called the humerus is prescribed to treat rheumatism, a
diseasemarked by inflammation and pain in the joints, muscle of fibrous tissues.
Some also believed that tiger bones will help them to become as strong and
ferocious as the tiger. The tigers are also hunted illegally for their fur or skin to
make accessories and decorations such as floor rag, clothing, wallet, wall hanging
and necklace.
 EcologicalImportance
Tigers are important for the balance of the ecological health of the ecosystem. It
is the dominant predator located at the apex of the food chain and ensures that the
number of prey herbivores are kept in check to maintain the balance between the
prey herbivores and the vegetation upon which they feed on. If they tigers goes
extinct, it will leave a scar which will affect the ecosystem. This leads to the next
ecological importance of the tiger where it helps maintain the carbonstorage value.
If the population of tiger decreases, there will be an increase in prey herbivore
population which causes the destruction of forest by consuming trees and plants.
Without forest, there will be no natural sinks of carbonand the oxygen content will
be affected as well as contributing to global warming. The tiger is also involve in a
commensalism relationship with The Golden Jackal or canis aureus. Lone jackals
that are not in a pack will stick itself with a specific tiger, following it at a safe
distance. After the tiger has made a kill and left the carcass, the jackal will then
feast on the remains of the carcass and will catch up with the tiger and the cycle
repeats. The jackal benefits from this relationship but it has no effect to the tiger.

5. PART 4: Specific conservation efforts done for South China Tiger.
The non-governmental organization ‘Save China's Tigers’, with the support
of China’s State Forestry Administration has made a few conservation efforts for
the Panthera Tigris Amoyensis species that is also known as South China Tigers.
Firstly, the association has a vision to reveal the issues of the South China Tigers’
situation to strive for its preservation and protection through public education,
presentation and experimentation with cutting edge preservation models in China
and abroad.
Secondly, the reason for Save China's Tigers is to turn around the destiny of
the South China tiger from the verge of extinction by removing them from zoos,
taking care of them, giving them a chance to recover their hunting ability, and
reintroducing them back to China's wild. The association's expressed objective is to
spare the South China tiger utilizing this new technique for recovery and
reintroduction. To accomplish this objective, Save China's Tigers is utilizing a
combination of in-situ and ex-situ preservation.
Other than that, CITES (Washington Convention) included South China
Tigers and other tigers on ‘Appendix I’ where commercial trade on this species is
illegal. During the 14th conference of the parties to CITES in 2007, CITES put an
end to tiger farming and stopping domestic trades in farmed tiger products in
China.
Last but not least, WWF (World Wildlife Fund) had also contributed in the
conservation of South China Tigers by supporting a new and sustainable approach
of development instead of the development of linear infrastructure that would
fragment the tiger’s wildlife habitat. Almost 11,000 Kilometers of railroads and
railways are already planned to be constructed across tiger landscapes.

6. Summary
The South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) (also known as the
Amoy, Chinese or Xiamen tiger) is a smaller-sized subspecies of tiger native to the
forests of southern China. The South China tiger is natively found in the temperate
upland forests of southern China. It is the most critically endangered tiger species
with only a handful left in the wild. The once roamers of the wild in large group
was greatly reduced due to uncontrol hunting as pest hunting in 1979. By 1996 the
population was estimated to be just 30-80 individuals. Today, the South China
tiger is considered by scientists to be “functionally extinct,” as it has not been
sighted in the wild for more than 25 years. Tigers are important for the balance of
the ecological health of the ecosystem. It is the dominant predator located at the
apex of the food chain and ensures that the number of prey herbivores are kept in
check. As a part of the conservation efforts the non-governmental organization
‘Save China's Tigers’, with the supportof China’s State Forestry Administration
has has a vision to reveal the issues of the South China Tigers’ situation to strive
for its preservation and protection through public education, presentation and
experimentation with cutting edge preservation models. Next step taken is by
removing them from zoos, taking care of them, giving them a chance to recover
their hunting ability, and reintroducing them back to China's wild. WWF (World
Wildlife Fund) had also contributed in the conservation of South China Tigers by
supporting a new and sustainable approach of development.