Inhabits Northeastern China and the Baekdusan Area
Classified as "Endangered" with a High Risk of Extinction
A wild Baekdusan tiger was spotted on a highway in Jilin Province, China, near the border with North Korea. On July 4, Yonhap News, citing local Chinese media such as Hongxing News, reported that "an endangered wild tiger was sighted on a highway in Jilin Province." According to the report, the tiger was discovered on July 2 at 4 p.m. on National Highway 331 in Jilin Province.
A wild Baekdusan tiger was captured on a highway in Jilin Province, China, near the North Korean border. Weibo
Videos shared on Chinese social networking services (SNS) such as Weibo and Douyin showed a Baekdusan tiger leisurely walking across the road. The tiger was also seen walking along the road ahead of cars for quite some distance. The footage also captured car and motorcycle drivers filming the tiger in amazement. Zhou, who filmed and reported the video, said, "While driving, I spotted the tiger on the road," and added, "When the tiger saw the cars on the road, it ran into the forest but then returned to the road," describing the situation at the time.
According to local reports, this is not the first time a tiger has been sighted near the road. In particular, it is known that more than 20 cattle that had been grazing were killed or injured by this tiger in the spring of last year. The tiger has also been seen preying on horses and pigs raised by village residents. One eyewitness told Hongxing News, "It was a small and thin tiger, and it seems to be the same one that the villagers remember," adding, "Its poor hunting skills may have forced it to come down to where people live." After learning of the tiger's presence, villagers have been reluctant to enter the mountains. Relevant authorities have also issued regulations prohibiting livestock grazing in nearby areas. The local forestry department stated that wild tigers may be spotted during spring and summer, and advised, "If you encounter a tiger while driving, never get out of your car. Maintain a safe distance and move your vehicle slowly."
A wild Baekdusan tiger was spotted on a highway in Jilin Province, China, near the border with North Korea. Weibo
The Siberian tiger, known in China as Dongbei Hu, inhabits northeastern China and the area around Baekdusan. Since 2008, the Siberian tiger has been classified as "Endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, indicating a high risk of extinction. Currently, the wild Siberian tiger population in East Asia is estimated to be about 500 to 560 individuals. The area where the tiger was sighted is on the boundary of the Siberian Tiger and Leopard National Park, which spans 14,100 square kilometers. As the local ecosystem has been restored, the wild Baekdusan tiger population in the region reached about 50 individuals as of last year.
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