What are the historical changes of tigers and leopards in China?

China has historically been a big country of tigers and leopards. Of the nine subspecies of tigers in the world, China has five. Later, after the Xinjiang tigers became extinct, China now has four subspecies of tigers in the world. There is no country with the largest number of tiger subspecies in China;

Leopards are also widely distributed in China, from south to north, and from east to west. According to genetics, China There are about four species of leopards in the country, among which the South China leopard and the North China leopard occupy most of China. Most of the leopards people saw in that era belonged to these two species.

Tiger and Leopard

After a hundred years of changes and the development of the human world, these two beasts are no longer visible in most forests in China, except in some These big cats can only be seen in the protected area.

In order to protect tigers and leopards, the Chinese people have worked hard. The establishment of the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park is a milestone, which means that our country has made the greatest efforts to restore the wild tiger and leopard populations. Try and hope that with people's efforts, these big cats can escape the danger of extinction and return to a safe level. About tigers

China has been a big tiger country since ancient times. As for the origin of tigers, one of the most recognized theories around the world is that they originated in China.

About 3 million years ago, that is, after the Pleistocene, an animal called the Chinese ancient cat appeared, which is considered the ancestor of modern tigers.

Two million years ago, tigers appeared in the area where South China tigers are distributed today. Later, due to climate changes and the differentiation and migration of wild animal groups, tigers also experienced some changing trends in their distribution areas. Starting from the place of origin, the tigers set out in two directions. One part set off in the northwest direction, passing through Mongolia, Xinjiang and other places into the southern Caucasus and northern Iran. However, the tiger was blocked by the desert and the Caucasus Mountains and failed to enter Africa and Europe; the other part set off in the southwest direction. , entering Southeast Asia.

9 subspecies of tigers

Tiger can be divided into 9 subspecies, including South China tiger, Siberian tiger, Indochinese tiger, Bengal tiger and Malayan tiger. , Sumatran tiger, Caspian tiger, Bali tiger, and Javan tiger, among which the Caspian tiger, Bali tiger, and Javan tiger have become extinct.

Historically, there were five tiger subspecies in my country, namely the South China tiger, the Siberian tiger, the Indochina tiger, the Bengal tiger and the Caspian tiger (also called the Xinjiang tiger). However, in 1916 Years later, the Caspian tiger was declared extinct internationally. From then on, there were only four subspecies of tigers in our country.

Distribution areas of tigers in China in the 1950s

Historically, tigers were widely distributed in mainland China, and Siberian tigers were distributed in most of the three northeastern provinces and parts of northeastern Inner Mongolia;< /p>

Bengal tigers are mainly distributed in western Yunnan and the southeastern corner of Tibet, with a small number in southwestern Sichuan;

Indochinese tigers are mainly distributed in Yunnan Province;

The Caspian tiger is only distributed in the hinterland of central Xinjiang in our country, occupying a very small area;

The South China tiger has the largest number and occupies the widest territory. Although the name is South China tiger, its distribution range is not Limited to South China, traces of South China tigers have been found in many areas such as Southwest, Central China, East China, and even southern Shanxi.

Amur tiger

In the 1950s and 1960s, tigers were still widely distributed in most areas of our country. At that time, thousands of tiger skins could be received every year. In 1956, 1,750 tiger skins were collected nationwide. Later, as the "human-tiger conflict" intensified, the number of tigers became less and less. By the 1970s, some experts estimated that there were more than 100 wild tigers left in the country, including: Siberian tigers: 12-20; South China tigers : About 20; Indo-Chinese tiger: 30-40; Bengal tiger: 30-40.

In fact, the biggest reason for the extinction of tigers is human hunting and habitat loss. From the 1950s to the 1970s, productivity was constantly developing and the population surged, which inevitably required more resources. Natural resources, deforestation and reclamation of wasteland will lead to the reduction of tiger habitats and prey. Once tigers do not have enough to eat in the wild, they will turn their attention to humans and livestock. Therefore, at that time, the most widely distributed The South China tiger was regarded as a pest, and people launched a campaign to eradicate the tiger pest.

Although the South China tiger was the most affected at that time, the Siberian tiger and Bengal tiger, which are also fierce beasts, were also greatly implicated. Take the Siberian tiger for example. At the end of the 19th century, There are still more than 2,000 tigers in our country, but by the time hunting was banned in 1977, there were already double digits left. Bengal tigers and Indochinese tigers are also as rare as a feather.

Amur Tiger

In 2019, there were only 27 wild Siberian tigers in my country. Although this number is not official and cannot be 100% accurate, it is an It is a figure with high reference value, because it not only includes field research and inspections, but also refers to 15 years of monitoring data from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, and nearly 65 years of operating data from the Northeast Tiger and Leopard Reserve, so its credibility is relatively high. .

This number is very small, but I have to tell you a sadder news. The Siberian tiger is already the largest wild tiger in my country. About leopards

Leopards have great ambiguity in folk perception. For example, some people also call clouded leopards and snow leopards leopards, but in a strict sense, only leopards can be called leopards. A true panther.

Based on genetics, leopards in the world can be divided into 9 major subspecies, namely: South China leopard (Indian leopard), North China leopard (Chinese leopard), Far Eastern leopard, Indochinese leopard, Arabian leopard leopard, Persian leopard, Javan leopard, Sri Lankan leopard and African leopard.

But if divided according to the traditional way, there are as many as 27 subspecies, and the classification method is mainly divided by distribution area.

9 subspecies of leopards

Leopards were once widespread in China. There are 4 subspecies of leopards in my country, namely: South China leopard, North China leopard , Amur leopard and Indochinese leopard. In fact, leopards can be found from the vast forests, seas and snowfields to the hinterland of the southwest. They can adapt to a variety of environments, and traces of leopards can be found in mountain forests, desert grasslands and other environments. .

In fact, the fates of leopards and tigers are almost linked. When the tigers were eliminated, the leopards were also eliminated. After all, these two big cats were not only in terms of feeding habits but also threats. They all look the same to us humans.

Chinese Leopard

Before the 1950s, although people had been hunting leopards, most of them were hunted by hunters, and the hunting equipment was not advanced. It was a small hunt. , my country’s wild leopard population is large, so even if it is captured all year round, it will not have much impact.

However, in the 1950s and 1960s, leopards faced their greatest crisis, and leopards were treated as "pests" and eliminated. In the next 30 years, leopards became extinct in many places.

By the late 1980s, based on analysis of collected leopard skins, it was conservatively estimated that there were only a few hundred in the country.

Of course, it’s not just that people think it can eat people and livestock. In addition to it, its fur is very beautiful. You can get a lot of money by hunting a leopard skin.

Leopard distribution map South China leopard: In the early 1950s, it was common in many southern provinces. Later, due to excessive hunting, South China leopards are now very rare; North China leopard: In the 1960s, Shanxi Province alone 1,750 North China leopards were killed. By 2008, the North China leopard's living area had shrunk to 20% of its original size. The latest data is from 2008-2014, with 121 in Guizhou, 60 in Henan, and 19 in Shanxi. -24, including 20-30 in Ningxia, 12 in Fujian, and no more than 10 in Zhejiang; Far Eastern leopard: Before the 1930s, the Far Eastern leopard was widely seen in eastern Siberia and extended southward to Heilongjiang and Jilin. Even to the entire Korean Peninsula. By the 1970s, China's Amur leopards only lived in the Lesser Khingan Mountains and Changbai Mountains. Before 1980, there were 50 in China. By the beginning of the 21st century, there were only 10-15 in my country. From 2012 to 2014 42 Amur leopards were detected, but these may include many who cross the border for tourism, and not all of them are resident leopards in my country. Indosinian leopard: Currently, worldwide, the Indosinian leopard’s living area has shrunk to 6% of its original size, which means that compared with before, the Indosinian leopard’s distribution range has been reduced by 94%. The Indochinese leopard in China Close to the point of extinction.

In fact, not only in China, leopards have declined sharply around the world. Even on the African continent, known as a paradise for wild animals, the distribution range of leopards has shrunk by one-third.

Historically, leopards have been widely distributed in my country. Except for the very arid Gobi Desert and the western mountainous areas with an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, their traces can be observed in most areas of the country. By 2010 In 2000, traces of his life could only be seen in 19 provinces across the country.

The conclusion of a national mammal assessment survey conducted between 1995 and 2000 showed that most areas in China are no longer suitable for leopards to survive, and several areas where leopards originally lived have now become extinct. The tragedy of beasts, human reflection and remedy

Whether they are tigers or leopards, they are all protected animals, struggling on the verge of extinction, but the reproductive capabilities of these big cats are compared to other mammals. , simply too weak.

Take tigers as an example. Female tigers do not become sexually mature until they are about 3 years old and can then go into estrus. The gestation period is about three months, which is about 105 days. In theory, each child will give birth to 1- 5, but usually only 2. The cubs and the female tiger will live for about 2-3 years. During this period, the female tiger will not be in estrus, so under natural conditions, the female tiger will only go into heat every 2-3 years. Breed once, and the lifespan of a wild tiger is about 16 years. Taking into account the mortality rate of cubs, etc., a tiger can produce only a handful of offspring in its lifetime. This is why people do their best to protect them, but they have already One reason for slow growth.

In fact, it is not just beasts like tigers and leopards. The main cause of the extinction of most animals in the world is humans. If human society wants to develop, it will inevitably absorb more natural resources and cut down forests. Although behaviors such as reclaiming wasteland and hunting hoofed animals do not directly harm these big cats on the surface, in fact, they are the most harmful behaviors. The habitat of tigers and leopards is reduced, and the number of wild animals that can prey is reduced, which is bound to intensify In conflicts with humans, if tigers and leopards still harm humans or livestock, they will be killed in retaliation. In addition, habitats are washed away and wild populations cannot communicate well with each other. Inbreeding will reduce genetic diversity and cause huge harm.

With the development of the human world, people gradually realize that not only humans live on the earth, but these animals are also equally important. In order to save these big cats, people have made sufficient efforts. These efforts are simple. It can be divided into three aspects: on the one hand, we must protect the existing individuals, and on the other hand, the specific actions are to establish nature reserves and breeding centers and to increase the crackdown on poaching, poaching, illegal trade and other behaviors. Among them A typical representative is the Northeastern Tiger and Leopard National Park; on the one hand, we continue to study and investigate individuals that may survive in the wild, and conduct detailed surveys of some key areas. Once wild individuals or populations are discovered, establishing protected areas is the most common method. For this reason, the country has sent teams many times to conduct investigations in various places, but unfortunately the harvest is not great; on the one hand, it is trying to reintroduce and breed and cultivate. As mentioned before, the reproductive ability of wild animals such as tigers and leopards is relatively weak. If It is definitely not feasible to reproduce slowly on its own, so artificial intervention is imperative. For example, artificial breeding and then release into the wild, and the Laohu Valley project in cooperation with South Africa, are people's attempts in this regard.

Although the number of tigers and leopards in my country has not yet returned to a safe level, on World Tiger Day some time ago, we also heard exciting news, that is, the population of Northeastern tigers and leopards in our country is continuing to decline. The expansion shows that my country’s efforts to protect wild animals over the years are bearing fruit, which is gratifying. Among the 474 national nature reserves across the country, 95 are important habitats for tigers and leopards. I believe that with people's efforts, these big cats can get better and better.