Rare tiger died in South Africa

08september2005
source: Nu.nl
Tiger Hope, who was born in a Chinese zoo, has died. Hope was released into the wild in South Africa to learn how to hunt. The project to protect this species from extinction has undergone a heavy battle.
Hope was born in a Chinese zoo in 2003. He was transported, with the female tiger Cathay, to South Africa. They got hunting "lessons"; firstly for birds and later for antelope. It was the intention to let the tiger couple pass on their hunting techniques to their cubs.

The foundation "Save the Chinese Tigers" has let known that Hope stopped eating as a result of an infection. The foundation is now focussing on another tiger couple, Madonna and Tiger Woods. They were brought to South Africa last year.
At the moment, only between ten and thirty Chinese tigers live in the wild. Another sixty live in captivity. According to the foundation, the fact that those tigers have not produces cubs this year, underlines the urgency of the project once again.