Siberian tiger cubs play at the Hengdaohezi Siberian Tiger Park in Mudanjiang, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, July 28, 2025. A total of 40 Siberian tiger cubs have been born at the park since March. (Photo by Zhang Chunxiang/Xinhua)

China's wild populations of Siberian tigers and Amur leopards have continued to recover over the past decade. In Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, the number of wild Amur tigers has increased from 27 in 2017 to 72, while the wild Amur leopard population has risen from 42 to 115, more than doubling over the period, marking a milestone in the conservation of the two flagship species, according to statistic released by China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) on Wednesday, International Tiger Day.

In recent years, China has accelerated the expansion of its protected-area system, centered on national parks, while stepping up endangered species conservation programs and strengthening wildlife monitoring and rescue networks. Officials say those efforts have significantly improved habitats for flagship species such as the Amur tiger and Amur leopard, helping their wild populations recover and expand, according to a press release sent to the Global Times by NFGA.

Since the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park was formally established five years ago, authorities have combined habitat restoration, scientific research, law enforcement, livelihood support and cross-border cooperation in an effort to reverse decades of habitat loss and fragmentation.

More than 600,000 mu (about 40,000 hectares) of forest has been restored or replanted, while over 190,000 mu of plantations have undergone ecological improvement and pest-control measures. Five wildlife migration corridors have been opened, reconnecting fragmented habitats and improving ecological connectivity across the region.

The park has also deployed an integrated monitoring system combining satellite, aerial and ground-based technologies. The system can automatically identify more than 30 wildlife species, with recognition accuracy exceeding 90 percent for both Siberian tigers and Amur leopards. To date, it has recorded more than 30,000 tiger sightings and over 40,000 leopard sightings.

China has also expanded conservation cooperation with Russia. The national park has established a long-term partnership with Russia's Land of the Leopard National Park, carrying out joint population surveys, coordinating cross-border patrols, and sharing information. Together, the two sides have created a transboundary protected area covering nearly 17,000 square kilometers. Officials say 21 Amur tigers and 27 Amur leopards now regularly move across the China-Russia border.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), China plans to further expand its national park system and restore ecological corridors and habitats for Siberian tigers and Amur leopards.

Authorities also plan to launch additional biodiversity conservation projects, strengthen research and protection of flagship species, including giant pandas, Amur tigers and Amur leopards, and carry out emergency conservation and monitoring programs for 165 critically endangered nationally protected plant and animal species, according to NFGA.