Surveillance drones hum softly overhead, while smart infrared cameras monitor the dense forests of the Chinese mainland. These cutting-edge technologies are part of an innovative early warning system developed by Chinese tiger experts to protect the endangered Siberian tigers and prevent conflicts with humans.
At the 2nd International Forum on Conservation and Recovery of Tiger and Leopard, held in Harbin, capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province from July 28 to 31, Markus Radday, a tiger program officer of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), expressed his admiration for these advancements. “Such technologies enable us to build an early warning system that helps prevent human-tiger conflicts and protect both sides,” he said. “This is only possible through close collaboration among scientists, institutions, and enterprises.”
Protecting a Fragile Population
Siberian tigers, also known as Amur tigers, are among the world’s most endangered species. Found mostly in the northeast Chinese mainland and Russia’s Far East, their numbers had dwindled to an alarming 12 to 16 wild tigers by 1998 in China.
Since the 1990s, concerted efforts have been made to boost their population and help these magnificent creatures reclaim their natural habitat. China’s progress in Siberian tiger conservation has drawn international attention, with scholars and organizations focusing on the successful initiatives implemented.
International Recognition and Collaboration
As a German who has dedicated 12 years to tiger conservation in China, Radday noted the country’s success in rebuilding the Siberian tiger population and fostering harmonious human-tiger coexistence. “China is among the five Asian countries making great progress in tiger conservation,” he stated. “I believe China is a model for mitigating and preventing human-tiger conflicts with cost-effective technologies. This practice would be valuable for densely populated countries like India and Nepal, where increasing tiger populations have led to frequent loss of livestock in vulnerable communities.”
Nay Myo Shwe, a researcher at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi in Thailand and head of wildlife at WWF-Myanmar, shared Radday’s views. He emphasized that exploring new solutions to human-tiger conflicts is a major challenge not just for China but for all countries with tiger populations. “Understanding how and why conflicts occur is vital to protecting local communities and preventing future collisions,” he said.
A Model for the Region
Chris Hallam, WWF Regional Wildlife Lead for Asia Pacific, highlighted that China’s combination of technological expertise and strong government support is key to maintaining a healthy and extensive tiger population. “Such experiences may be valuable in Southeast Asian regions where the number of tigers has declined in the past few years,” he commented.
As one of the 13 countries that are home to tigers, the Chinese mainland has seen its wild tiger population rise since 2010. According to data from the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, approximately 70 wild Siberian tigers now roam the park, with 20 cubs born last year.
“To conserve tigers means conserving so much more,” Radday reflected. “I hope that China will play a greater role in the tigers’ return to the forests.”
Reference(s):
China builds early warning system for preventing human-tiger conflicts
cgtn.com
