Threatened species of Panthera tigris amoyensis

Panthera tigris amoyensis was virtually extirpated when officially hunted as a pest. It is suffering from severe habitat loss and fragmentation.

The main areas of Panthera tigris amoyensis distribution are montane sub-tropical evergreen forest along provincial borders of southern China.

An estimated (1996) 20-30 South China tigers are left. This tiger may soon be extinct.

Estimates put the population of Panthera tigris amoyensis at 4,000 in the early 1950s. An estimated 3,000 tigers were killed in 30 years. Official government statistics showed that annual average numbers of skins taken dropped from 78.6 in the early 1950s, to 30.4 in the early 1960s, to 3.8 in the early 1970s, and to one by 1979, when the government finally banned hunting.

Panthera tigris amoyensis is considered as "Critically Endangered" by the IUCN. CITES lists the species as "Appendix 1".