South China tiger
Panthera tigris amoyensis
The South China tiger is a tiger subspecies that was native to the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi in southern China, and has been classified as ''critically endangered'' by IUCN since 1996 as it is possibly extinct in the wild, making it the most threatened tiger subspecies. There is a small chance that some individuals are still extant. But already in the late 1990s, continued survival was considered unlikely due to low prey density, widespread habitat degradation and fragmentation, and other human pressures. No official or biologist has seen a wild South China tiger since the early 1970s, when the last verified record is of an individual brought into captivity.
Since the 1980s, the South China tiger is considered a relict population of the "stem" tiger, living close to the possible area of origin. Morphologically, it is the most distinctive of all tiger subspecies.
The name ''Amoy tiger'' was used in the fur trade. It is also known as the ''South Chinese'', the ''Chinese'', and the ''Xiamen'' tiger.
Since the 1980s, the South China tiger is considered a relict population of the "stem" tiger, living close to the possible area of origin. Morphologically, it is the most distinctive of all tiger subspecies.
The name ''Amoy tiger'' was used in the fur trade. It is also known as the ''South Chinese'', the ''Chinese'', and the ''Xiamen'' tiger.