Investigators find hunting tiger killed Amur leopard in NE China national park

"This was an approximately 8-year-old male leopard in its prime," Feng said. "After reaching adulthood, it expanded to this area and established its own territory. It belongs to the first batch of 'native residents' in this area and is the third generation of the Amur leopard population returning to China. It has produced multiple litters of cubs."

He said the Amur leopard had been recorded over 800 times by the national park's monitoring system, with the most recent sighting being recorded in September.

"China has been conducting continuous monitoring and research on tigers and leopards throughout the park for more than 18 years," Feng said. "Our investigation team is also conducting on-site hair DNA screening and tiger track analysis to further confirm the identity of the tiger involved."

Chen Yang, deputy director of the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park Management Bureau, said: "This incident provides new evidence for further research on the diet and behavior of the tigers and leopards in our country, as well as for the protection and management in the national park.

"After a period of adjustment, the habitat for tigers and leopards will be further expanded, and the population of flagship species will continue to increase."