Chinese tigers to train in SA
2005-11-16 10:47
Johannesburg - No tigers in Africa? That may be what they teach in school, but it is no longer quite true thanks to a ambitious Britain-based project called "Save China's Tigers."
Beijing native Li Quan, founder of the privately funded project, brought two tiger cubs - Hope, a male, and Cathay, a female - from Shanghai's zoo to a 33 000-hectare wildlife reserve in South Africa's hilly Free State Province in 2003.
The plan was that they impart the survival skills they learned there to their young, which would then be released into Chinese wildlife sanctuaries yet to be set up.
A second male-female pair, named Tiger Woods and Madonna, came the following year.
'A symbol of China'
"There are only about 30 Chinese tigers left in the wild," Li said. Another 60 or so live in captivity. By breeding tigers, a symbol of China, Li hopes to help save the country's last big cats from extinction.
She aimed to return to China with tiger offspring in time for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. But Hope died last August, just before reaching sexual maturity.
Li remains optimistic despite the setback. "We firmly believe we can still meet our goal even after Hope's death," she said. Now all she can do is wait.
'We have to be patient'
Tiger Woods, now 18 months old, is still about a year and a half away from possible fatherhood.
"We have to be patient because we don't have other opportunities for breeding," Li said. She intends to bring more young Chinese tigers to South Africa, but plans remain rather vague. A grown tiger would probably not survive the trip.
The well-travelled Li got the idea for her "rewilding programme" on a visit to South Africa, where the skill of conservationists impressed her. She relies on the cooperation of both the South African and Chinese governments.
Li dismisses critics who say the tigers' African surroundings are not their natural habitat. "Talks are still being held in China on the location of the first wildlife sanctuary for the tigers that are to be released.
A decision won't be made until December. But we've got to do something for the tigers right now," she said. "The tigers don't care where."
- SAPA