Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 1 hr ago
China and Russia jointly identify tigers and leopards crossing their border
China and Russia are working together to track Amur tigers and leopards that move across their border.
The animals live in and around the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, which borders Russia’s Land of the Leopard National Park.
Since 2025, the two countries have used the same method to identify individual animals by comparing their coat patterns.
This helps them understand population size, age, breeding and movement across the border.
A joint count confirmed that 21 tigers and 27 leopards regularly cross between the countries.
The partners have also opened 290 passages through border fences so wildlife can move between habitats.
They plan to keep sharing monitoring data and updating population information to support conservation.
The work matters because the animals’ ranges cross a national border, so protecting them requires both countries to coordinate.
Lasanble
China and Russia are jointly identifying individual Amur tigers and leopards that move across their border.
The work began in 2025 and uses matching coat patterns to identify each animal.
The joint count found that 21 tigers and 27 leopards regularly migrate across the border.
The animals move between China’s Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park and Russia’s Land of the Leopard National Park.
The countries have also opened 290 wildlife passages along the border since 2023.
- Who
- China and Russia are jointly monitoring Amur tigers and leopards.
- What
- They identify individual animals and track population and cross-border movement.
- When
- The joint identification work began in 2025; the latest figures were announced on July 29.
- Where
- The border area between China’s Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park and Russia’s Land of the Leopard National Park.
- Why
- To share population data and strengthen protection of tigers and leopards.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
China and Russia signed a three-year cooperation plan for Amur tiger and leopard conservation.
The two countries began opening wildlife migration passages along the border.
China and Russia began jointly identifying individual Amur tigers and leopards.
The Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park announced the joint count of 21 tigers and 27 leopards regularly migrating across the border.
- Joint identification began
- 2025
- Border passages opened
- 290
- Tigers regularly crossing the border
- 21
- Leopards regularly crossing the border
- 27
- Joint protected area
- Nearly 17,000 square kilometres
What people are saying
Both sides use the same method—comparing patterns to confirm individuals and give every tiger and leopard a unique pattern identity card.
This is an example of international cooperation in wildlife conservation.










