The South China Tiger Protection Program:
The South China tiger is the most endangered of all tigers.

In 1995 the Minnesota Zoo began working with Chinese zoo officials to help prevent the extinction of this subspecies.

Zoo staff trained Chinese staff to provide better medical, nutritional, and management practices to promote reproduction in their small captive population.

In 2001 The Minnesota Zoo assisted Chinese field biologists to census the wild tiger population.

Since no wild tigers were found, the Chinese government is formulating a tiger reintroduction and recovery program. (More information about this project.)

Conservation at Home:
The Minnesota Zoo has two of the largest Amur tiger exhibits in any United States zoo.

As part of our ongoing commitment to conservation and education the Zoo has developed the Tiger Lair exhibit to help people better understand the world of wild tigers and the threats that they face.

The Zoo also plays a significant roll in the captive breeding of Amur tigers. The North American captive population currently is being maintained at a target population of 150 animals. The Species Survival Plan Coordinator for this species is Dr. Ron Tilson, Conservation Director at the Minnesota Zoo. The studbook for this species is managed here at the Minnesota Zoo by Kathy Traylor-Holzer.

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