CHANGCHUN, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- A wild Siberian tiger has been spotted in the Huangnihe National Nature Reserve, northeast China's Jilin Province, the administration of the reserve said Wednesday.
The image of the Siberian tiger was captured by a staff of the reserve with a smartphone. Previously, video clips and pictures of wild Siberian tigers at the reserve were only captured by infrared cameras. This is the first time that photos were taken by a human via a phone.
The staff member came across the Siberian tiger on his way to conduct epidemic control work in the forest along a road on Feb. 5.
The wild Siberian tiger in the two-second video was identified as male.
Later, Shi Xiaojun, an official with the administration of the reserve and some patrollers found the footprints of the tiger at the same place.
"The tiger might have been frightened when it walked across the road since it returned the same way it had come,” Shi said.
The reserve launched a survey in places where Siberian tigers often appear. On Feb. 7, Siberian tiger footprints were found again and its excrement was also collected in the Duling Forest Farm of the reserve.
At present, the Siberian tiger is still in the reserve, staff with the reserve said.
Siberian tigers, otherwise known as Amur or Manchurian tigers, mainly live in eastern Russia, northeast China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Data shows that only hundreds of wild Siberian tigers are living in the world.
At present, the population of wild boars, red deer, roe deer and other wild animals in the reserve has increased significantly. Wild Siberian tigers often appear in the reserve and are photographed every year.
