BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- China's wild Siberian tiger and leopard populations have registered remarkable restorative growth over the past decade, official data from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration showed on Wednesday, which marks the 16th International Tiger Day.
Monitoring figures for the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park reveal that the number of wild Siberian tigers has risen to 72 from 27 in 2017, while the wild leopard population has surged to 115 from 42 during the same period, marking a landmark achievement in flagship species protection in the country.
The national park said it has recorded over 30,000 occurrences of Siberian tiger activity and more than 40,000 instances of leopard activity.
China has also set up a regular cooperation mechanism with Russia in building a nearly 17,000-square-kilometer transboundary protected area, where 21 Siberian tigers and 27 leopards now carry out regular cross-border migration.
During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), China will enhance research and conservation capabilities for flagship species such as the giant panda, Siberian tiger and leopard, and carry out rescue and protection as well as monitoring and early warning for 165 critically endangered wild animals and plants, aiming to further advance the high-quality development of biodiversity conservation. ■
