IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Nyhus, P.J.; Tilson, R.; Muntifering, J.; Dahmer, T. | |
| Beyond Conservation: The Tiger as Driver to Restore Biodiversity in China | |
| 2007 Conference Proceeding | |
China remains an enigma in the world of tiger and felid conservation. The South China tiger (_Panthera tigris amoyensis_) is extinct in the wild and the captive population is genetically impoverished. For decades China has been perceived as a symbol of environmental degradation, driven by its expanding human population, blistering economic growth, and unprincipled conservation ethic. China today is criticized as the consumer of illegal trade in wildlife, tiger farming, and ineffective wildlife management. But missing from this uncomplimentary characterization is the beginning of a transformation that may parallel the rapid and unexpected shift in its economic and population policies. We argue China is at a tipping point in its conservation history. Just as forest cover in parts of Europe and North America declined then increased and large carnivores like wolves morphed from symbols of repugnance to symbols of wilderness, the tiger has potential to catalyze China's biodiversity revitalization. We review the status of tigers and tiger conservation, the results of recent field surveys, evaluate the latest initiatives to develop capacity to restore wild tiger populations in China, and discuss the significant ramifications for tiger and felid conservation throughout Asia. |
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