WWF expert lauds China's achievements in tiger protection

As people welcome the Year of the Tiger beginning on Feb 1, an expert from the World Wide Fund for Nature shares his views on China's protection of its wild tiger population.

Stuart Chapman, Tigers Alive Initiative leader for WWF, said that over the past 10 years China has met its commitment to restoring the population of wild tigers and building the world's biggest tiger protected area in Northeast China.

Chapman said the China-Russia cross-border cooperation on tiger protection is a model for tiger conservation.

According to Chapman, the increasing number of tigers reflects that China has improved the living conditions for tigers, so that they can move across the China-Russia border, and also stay and breed in China.

Chapman calls for more trans-boundary collaboration to protect tigers and their prey from poaching, one of the biggest threats to tiger conservation efforts.

Chapman also sent new year greetings, saying this year could prove to be a historic year for tiger protection.