China is one of the countries with the richest animal and plant resources, there are 12 species of wild cats, second only to India (15 species), the above figures are from left to right: clouded leopard, clouded cat, lynx, Asian wild cat, snow leopard, rabbit fox, tiger, Asian golden cat, jungle cat, leopard, ocelot, desert cat (only listed species, not listed subspecies). Tigers, leopards, snow leopards and clouded leopards are national first-class protected animals, Eurasian lynx, Asian golden cat, rabbit lynx, jungle cat, ocelot cat and desert cat are second-level protected animals, and cloud cats are three animals. This article collects some images of wild cats taken in China in recent years, so that everyone can get a glimpse of the style of wild cats in China.
Wild Siberian tigers photographed in Siberian Tiger and Leopard National Park/Source: Siberian Tiger and Leopard National Park Administration
China is the birthplace of tigers, once had 5 tiger subspecies, the last century Caspian sea tiger (Xinjiang tiger) extinction, Indochinese tigers out of the country, South China tigers disappeared in the wild, Siberian tigers and Bengal tigers are in critical condition, after decades of protection and breeding, the current situation is improving.
Wild Siberian Tiger/Source: Siberian Tiger and Leopard National Park Authority
According to the latest news, the number of Siberian tigers in China's Siberian Tiger and Leopard National Park is 37, and the potential number is 50, and the number has increased steadily. Coupled with the fact that the total number of wild Siberian tigers in Russia is close to or more than 600, The Siberian tiger is basically free from the threat of extinction.
A wild Siberian tiger family photographed in 2018 in Hunchun Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park in Jilin Province, with a female tiger and 4 cubs, is the largest tiger population ever photographed in the wild.
In 2019, the Siberian tiger family photographed in Laoyeling, Changbai Mountain, Heilongjiang, a tigress with 3 young tigers, the scene was very spectacular, which was the first time that a wild Siberian tiger family was photographed in Heilongjiang.
Tibetan Metuo Wild Bengal Tiger / Source: Kunming Institute of Zoology
In August of this year, infrared cameras set up by the Kunming Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Metuo County captured images of wild Bengal tigers for the first time. It is estimated that there are 20-40 wild Bengal in Tibet.
The South China tiger at the Chongqing Zoo is in good health. The characteristics of the South China tiger are bright fur, slightly reddish, and the stripes on the side of the body are diamond-shaped. At present, the number of South China tigers in domestic zoos and breeding centers is close to 200.
The South China tiger of Fuzhou Zoo is in good physical condition.
The South China tiger in Luoyang Wangcheng Park is in good physical condition.
Taihang Mountain Wild North China Leopard /Source: China Feline Conservation Alliance (Cat Alliance/CFCA)
North China leopard is commonly known as the golden leopard in China, the largest number of existing big cats in northern China, is the ecological business card and key protection object of the northern region. Shanxi Taihang Mountainous Area and Shaanxi Meridian Ridge Forest Area is the main habitat of North China leopard, at present, many provinces and cities in North China have appeared in the figure of North China Leopard, villagers, donkey friends, forestry personnel and other witnesses to wild North China Leopard, confirming that the number of North China leopard is rising significantly.
North China Leopard/Source: Cat League
There are four leopard subspecies in China, from west to east, indian leopard, Indochina leopard, North China leopard, and Northeast leopard (Far Eastern leopard). Indian leopards and Indochinese leopards have a very small distribution in the southwest, and the northeast leopard is distributed in the northeast.
Very photogenic wild North China leopard/Source: Forestry News Network
It is very difficult to shoot animals in the wild, generally installing fixed infrared cameras, when there are animals passing, it will trigger the shooting, and it takes a lot of luck to capture wild animals.
Wild North China leopard
At present, the number of wild North China leopards is about 1000-1500.
Qinling wild North China leopard
Shanxi and Shun County North China leopards into the village to catch cattle were photographed
Wild North China leopard in the Western Sichuan Plateau region
Wild leopard in Xinlong County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province (most likely North China leopard)
Xinlong County is known as China's "hometown of wild cats", where 7 species of wild cats are found: leopards, snow leopards, lynx, Asian golden cats, ocelots, desert cats, and rabbits.
Wild Siberian leopard/Source: China News Network
The number of Siberian leopards (Far Eastern leopards) once dropped to less than 50, after decades of protection, the number has risen steadily, and there are currently 48 Siberian leopards in China's Northeast Tiger leopard National Park, plus about 120-150 northeast leopards in Russia.
Wild Siberian leopard in Siberian Tiger Leopard National Park/Source: State Forestry and Grassland Administration
Wild snow leopard in Siguniang mountain national nature reserve in Sichuan
China has 60% of the world's snow leopard habitat and nearly 50% of the wild snow leopard, the number of about 3,000 (the number of snow leopards circulating on the Internet is less than the number of giant pandas is a misinformation). At present, the number of snow leopards is steadily increasing, and there are more than 1,000 in the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve.
Snow leopard in Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve
Wild snow leopard in Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve in Zhangye, Gansu
Wild clouded leopards from Tibet/Source: TBIC & Cat League
Clouded leopard is an ancient and precious cat, at present, China's southern provinces have basically disappeared, only a few distributions in the southwest region, in 2009 the State Forestry Administration estimated that there are 2600, the survival status is not optimistic, in urgent need of more protection.
Wild Clouded Leopard/Source: TBIC & Cat Alliance
Two juvenile wild clouded leopards in Yunnan / Source: Professor Shi Kun, Institute of Wildlife Research, Beijing Forestry University
In 2014, the clouded leopard "Xiaoyun" of Chengdu Zoo, who was nearly 20 years old at the time, had reached twice the size of wild clouded leopards and was obese due to less exercise.
"Xiao Yun" became popular on the Internet because of his fat body and modeling.
Flower golden cats (Asian golden cats with markings on the body) taken in the southwest region are combined with wolves/at different times in the same location
Asian golden cats are currently more abundant in the southwest region, most of which live in protected areas and have stable populations.
Tibetan wild golden cat
Yunnan wild red gold cat (Asian golden cat with reddish brown fur)
Wild red and gold cats in the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon National Nature Reserve
Asian golden cat in Baishuijiang Nature Reserve, Gansu
Wild lynx from the Tohoku region (Eurasian lynx)
Eurasian lynx populations are currently stable.
Lynx families photographed at the source of the Lancang River / Source: China News Network
A female lynx with two cubs.
Cloud cat photographed in the southwest region
The number of cloud cats is currently stable.
Qinghai photographed the desert cat family
Desert cats are currently stable in numbers.
Rabbit in Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve
Rabbits are currently stable in numbers.
A rabbit with a mouth and nose injury in Tianjun County, Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, was rescued by the police
Jungle cats, ocelots, and Asian wildcats (non-stray cats) are stable.
At present, the number of tigers, leopards and snow leopards in China is steadily rising, the existing number of clouded leopards is unknown, research and protection should be strengthened, and the number of other wild cats is stable.
China is one of the countries with the richest animal and plant resources, animal and plant species rank among the forefront of the world, but the development of industry and agriculture in the last century led to a decline in their number, a decrease in subspecies, after several decades of protection and restoration, the overall number showed an upward trend, most of them are not in danger of extinction, so it is absolutely impossible to ignore the efforts and achievements made by China's conservation personnel.