ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)

[peter]

PANTHERA TIGRIS AMOYENSIS - F - TIGER SIEGE 2


F3 - Source

The story discussed in this post (and the next posts) is an article that was published on March 28, 2008 in 'French-law Weekly' (http://news.QQ.com). The title of the story is:

'Secret history of Hunan Province of South China tigers disaster: people 50 years ago - Tigress'. 

What it, I think, says, is there was a disaster about 50 years ago in Hunan Province. The last word, 'Tigress', most probably means the disaster had to do with tigers. This is just one example of a translation difficult to understand. Anyhow. Something happened about half a century ago in Hunan Province. It had to do with tigers.


F4 - Land reform and consequences

The land reform program mentioned before started in the late forties and early fifties of the last century in Hunan Province. The aim wasn't land reform only. In order to solve the food problem, it was decided to cultivate wild country as well. In Hunan Province, wild country was elevated and forested hills. For wildlife, most of these hills more or less compared to sanctuaries.

In the first years, animals that could destroy crops, like wild boars and all kinds of deer, were hunted. The hunt met with success. So much so, that predators had to walk for many miles in what turned out to be empty forests. The largest predator, the tiger, soon had to change his way of life in order to solve the food problem. It turned out to be a structural problem. In the end, tigers had no option but to turn to domesticated animals. And man. 


F5 - Tiger madness

Between 1952-1963, a war between humans and tigers was fought. During that period, nearly 2 000 people were killed by tigers. 

Was it a war, or was it just a way of describing a number of isolated problems in Hunan Province? The answer is in 'The Journal of Hunan' of February 2, 1956. In a long report, it was stated that a real war had erupted in 1952 in Hunan Province. Five counties that heavily suffered featured in the report. In another journal, 'The Journal of Hunan Forestry', there was an article in which it was stated that dozens of cities and counties had reported severe problems which were a result of a collective 'tiger madness'.

Based on what I read, the conclusion is that tigers, unable to find food, had no option but to move out of their territory. Not in just one part of Hunan, but nearly everywhere. They were desperate. The only places where they could find food were villages and even cities. In 1955, two tigers were shot very close to Shangsha, which already was a large city back then. Tigers killed thousands of domestic animals and many hundreds of humans. In one day only, 32 people were killed by tigers! 


F6 - Tiger hunting teams

In order to solve the tiger problem, it was decided to set up 'tiger teams' in every county. Their aim was to eliminate tigers as fast as possible. In Yanling county, which had a hunting tradition, they started with 25 teams. In 1954, there were 425 tiger hunting teams. These 'tiger teams' hunted tigers with everything they had. Guns, bows, spears, traps, explosives, poison and everything else you can think of:

*This image is copyright of its original author

 
     
The paragraph about these 'tiger teams' has a number of short stories about hunters who met with a lot of success. One of them, Zhong Yongtai, featured in an article in 'The Hunan Daily' of Ocotber 9, 1962. Zhong captured 11 tigers and no less than 46 900 other wild animals (...). Another hunter, Chen Changkui, accounted for 12 tigers. One of the tigers he killed, a male of 150 kg. (331 pounds), had a 5-inch upper canine. 

Members of 'tiger teams' were respected and well taken care of. Every member got 300 kg. of food every month. That should tell you something about the food situation in Hunan Province in the early fifties of the last century. 


F7 - The situation in Leiyang County - Chen Qi Fang

Leiyang County was hit hard by the war. In 1952, 120 people were killed by tigers. In November 1952, a General Assembly was held in the Leiyang County Government Auditorium in order to solve the tiger problem. 

A 'tiger team' was set up. It was headed by an experienced hunter, Chen Qi Fang. Other 'tiger teams' were set up later, but his team proved to be the most effective. Of the 168 tigers killed in that county in a 7-year period, Chen's team accounted for 138.

In late 1957, Chen Qi Fang was summoned to Beijing. He had an interview with Premier Zhou and from that day on was known as the 'Tiger King'. Here he is (top of the page):

*This image is copyright of its original author

   

Before he headed the first 'tiger team', Chen Qi Fang had been a little-known hunter. He wasn't a tiger hunter, but just a hunter. In 1952, when he was 64 already (...), things changed. On an autumn day, his grandson went out to dig for sweet potatoes. When he didn't return at the end of the day, those who cared about him went to the spot known for sweet potatoes. They only found a shoe. The 14-year old boy had been taken by a tiger. 

Chen Qi Fang was furious and swore to take revenge. That same night, he went out with his two sons to find the tiger. I don't know if they got the tiger, but from that day on it was tigers and nothing but tigers. The team Chen started quickly got a reputation and grew to 50 men. Chen Qi Fang divided the team into 6 groups. All of them cooperated when hunting a tiger.  


F8 - A King Tiger killed in Chairman Mao's hometown of Shaoshan

When he was already well-known, Chen was invited to hunt tigers in other parts of Hunan. In Shaoshan, the hometown of Chaiman Mao (see the topographic map of Hunan posted before), tigers were said to weigh up to 300 kg. These 'Tiger Kings' were clever and difficult to hunt.

After a long search, Chen's team, in December 1955, finally found a trail they could use. An arrow-trap was set at a well-used place. Than the hill was surrounded by his team and members of a local 'tiger team'. When the poisoned arrow hit the tiger, he roared for a long time. When they were sure the tiger was no more, they went up the hill.

The tiger was over 200 kg. and exceeded 10 feet in total length. On his forehead, he had the sign only found in King tigers. Folklore no doubt? Not quite, as will be seen later. 


F9 - The size of Chinese tigers  

There's not a lot on Chinese tigers. V. Mazak (1983) concluded they were a bit smaller than their relatives from Indochina and somewhat larger than Java tigers. Compared to Panthera tigris tigris and Panthera tigris corbetti, their skulls were smaller, somewhat flatter and generally less robust. In total length, males ranged between 8.2-8.8 (248,92-264,16 cm.) in a straight line. The heaviest male he knew of was 385 pounds (174,64 kg.). An average male ranged between 140-145 kg. (309-320 pounds). Females ranged between 7.6-7.10 (228,60-238,76 cm.) in total length (measured in a straight line) and averaged 100-115 kg. (221-255 pounds). 

Was he right? 

It's difficult to get to a conclusion. I never saw a skull of a Chinese tiger in a museum. Mazak most probably had to travel a lot to find a few. All in all, he measured 9 skulls only. One could try to get to a conclusion, but any statement would be a bit tentative at best.

Based on what I have, I'd say that Mazak was conservative. I know he was misled by hunters about the size of Amur tigers, as he admitted in the third edition of his great book 'Der Tiger', but there is conservative and conservative. 

A century ago, the South China tiger was found in a large part of China. Those from the most northern part, assuming they belonged to Panthera tigris amoyensis, may have been quite different from those in the extreme southeastern part. Conditions in central parts of China were very different from those in the north and southeast. All of this is without individual variation, which, as a result of a quite large population (about 3 000 - 4 000 in the fifties of the last century), would have been significant in the period 1900-1970. The information I have suggest there could have been distinct regional differences.

I'm not saying that Chinese tigers were similar in size to tigers in, say, Indochina, but everything I have points towards regional differences. Tonkin tigers (just north of Vietnam) were quite small. More to the east, along the southeastern coast, they seemed to have been longer (up to 9.6 in total length in a straight line). As even large individuals seldom approached 400 pounds (181,44 kg.), one could conclude they were long, but not robust. Before the slaughter began, tigers in Sechuan, Hubei and Hunan apparently had no need to prey on domestic animals. Although many of us think they were smallish, the Chinese, in a number of articles, wrote that males of 180-200 kg. (400-440 pounds) were not uncommon. In some parts of Hunan, tigers were known for their size. Most of you most probably know about the 190 kg. wild tiger shot in the northern part of China. It wasn't an Amur tiger, mind you.

All in all, I'd say that the Chinese tiger was quite variable in size. In the extreme southeastern part, males ranged between 120-150 kg. (265-331 pounds), at times up to 180 kg. (400 pounds). Those in central part of eastern China, although apparently a bit more robust, were a bit smaller. In the northeastern part of China, tigers were no larger. In the north, individuals could exceed 400 pounds a times, whereas those in northern and central parts of southern China could have been the most robust. It wqouldn't surprise me, as they didn't face shortage of food and could walk uninterrupted and unseen for many miles.

A century ago, most males, depending on region, would have ranged between 130-190 kg. (286-420 pounds). If one of you would go for an average of about 160-165 kg. (360 pounds roughly) for an adult male, I wouldn't object. But remember there are authentic newspaper reports about individuals shot in caves that exceeded 500 pounds. Also remember that conditions in south-central China could have been very good before the war started. If male tigers would have averaged well over 160 kg, it would have been there. 

This photograph, posted before, shows a tiger shot in 1956. Not small by any standard:

*This image is copyright of its original author

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