Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park confirmed Thursday that it has signed a three-year cooperative action plan with a Russian national park to beef up cooperation in the protection of Siberian tigers and Amur leopards.

The action plan was signed by the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park and Russia's Land of the Leopard national park last Sunday.

It includes 14 action plans and nine long-term activities, including special researches on cross-border activities of tigers and leopards, data sharing and exchanges on ecological protection of nature reserves, according to the management bureau of the national park, located in northeast China's Jilin Province.

The two sides will also focus on improving the ecological environment in border areas, thereby laying a solid foundation for regional ecological balance and sustainable development.

Zhao Li, director of the management bureau, hopes to improve the management level and work efficiency of the park through cooperation.

Siberian tigers, otherwise known as Amur or Manchurian tigers, mainly live in eastern Russia, northeast China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, Amur leopards, also known as the Far Eastern leopards, are one of the most endangered felines in the world and have been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

China has been making efforts to protect wildlife including Siberian tigers and Amur leopards. China is believed to house at least 27 wild Siberian tigers and 42 Amur leopards.

(Cover image via VCG. Edited by Zhao Ying.)

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