One of the great threats to many endangered species is habitat loss, as humans expand into areas where they live. Now China is reversing the process by preparing to move 8000 households in northern China to make room for expanding Siberian tiger and Amur leopard populations.
The transfers, planned to take place over a five-year period, will allow the now-expanding populations of the rare cats to have an uninterrupted migration corridor. Parts of the area, along the Russian-Chinese border, are now farmland, but will be reforested.
Aside from unwanted contact between humans and the cats, the farmers’ cattle compete with wild animals for grazing land in the area; those animals are prey for the tigers and leopards.
For more information and background from the China People’s Daily, click HERE
