Shaanxi Provincial Forestry Department has announced the rediscovery of the wild South China Tiger which disappeared over the past 20 years and has issued an emergency notice to cease any hunting activities in order to protect the tiger species and its habitat.

SPFD has asked Zhenping County Government to ban any hunting in the place where the tiger was found and set up special checkpoints on the road at the foot of the mountain to prevent people from entering the area.

In the meantime, SPFD has reported to Shaanxi Provincial Government and applied for setting up a national nature reserve for the tiger in Zhenping.

South China tigers are a major endangered species in the world. The rediscovery of the animal is significant to bio-diversity. Ankang Municipal Forestry Department and Zhenping County Government will reportedly press on compiling a general plan on protecting the tiger and a feasibility report in an effort to seek some investment from the central government to protect the animal.