Most fascinating wildlife and animals of China

The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), another emblematic species of China, roams the forested regions of southwestern China within the Yunnan province. Asian elephants inhabit various habitats, including tropical and subtropical forests, grasslands, and even high-altitude mountain forests.

The largest land mammals on the Asian continent, they are known for their intelligence and emotional complexity, just like their African cousins. They are recognised by their large ears, wrinkled skin, and long trunks.

Asian elephants are considered an endangered species. There are fewer than 10,000 remaining in the wild despite an estimated population of 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century. Their population has been decimated by habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.

IFAW is heavily involved in protecting Asian elephants in China. For more than twenty years, the Asian Elephant Protection (AEP) project has been promoting human-elephant coexistence in an effort to increase and strengthen elephant numbers in the wild.

Tibetan macaques

The Tibetan macaque (Macaca thibetana) is a primate that can be found roaming the rugged terrain of the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent mountainous regions in China.

Characterised by their thick fur coats and expressive faces, these macaques have complex social structures and exhibit intelligent behaviours. Like other primates, Tibetan macaques form tight-knit communities to protect themselves against predators.

Tibetan macaques are classified by IUCN as near threatened with a declining population. Habitat loss and fragmentation are two major threats that have led to their decline, mostly caused by human activities such as deforestation, agriculture, and infrastructure development.

Thankfully, recent measures to limit deforestation in the mountainous regions where Tibetan macaques live have helped stabilise their population numbers.

South China tigers

The South China tiger is a population of the Panthera tigris tigris subspecies, native to southern China. Once referred to as the king of the mountain, the South China tiger is now likely extinct in the wild -it has not been seen by humans since the 1970s. Only a few of them remain living in captivity today.

Historically, these orange-and-black-striped apex predators prowled southern China's dense forests and mountains. Thanks to relentless hunting, habitat loss, and fragmentation, their population was decimated to the point of probable extinction.

In fact, tigers as an entire species are endangered, and their remaining populations are dwindling quickly across the Asian continent. For example, the Malayan tiger has fewer than 150 individuals remaining in the wild.

IFAW works closely with partners, governments, and local communities to protect tigers. From rescuing and protecting big cats in captivity to introducing the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online, IFAW is committed to protecting tigers across the globe, with the hope that no more tiger populations will go extinct.

Chinese sparrowhawks

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