What changed
China and Russia are linking Hunchun’s Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park with Russia’s Land of the Leopard National Park in a cross-border conservation corridor. The connected protected area covers nearly 17,000 square kilometres, with 290 wildlife passages supporting regular crossings by 21 Amur tigers and 27 Amur leopards.
Why it matters
The arrangement treats the border as a line for people, not a wall for wildlife. Chinese and Russian teams share identification data, exchange patrol skills and conduct joint patrols, allowing conservation workers to track individual animals across both parks.
Hunchun is also changing the landscape itself. Mining rights have been withdrawn, livestock moved down from mountain areas and fencing cleared. In 2025, one tigress was seen with five cubs, described as the highest recorded number of wild tiger cubs born in a single litter in China.
That recovery brings a practical problem: tigers are returning close to homes. Hunchun’s response combines physical barriers with a three-level warning system that alerts residents as animals approach villages. No tiger attacks on people have occurred there since the platform began operating.
The outlook is promising but still limited. The corridor clearly makes movement easier; it does not yet show whether the total populations or their genetic diversity have increased. For now, its most tangible achievement is simpler: two countries have built enough shared infrastructure for a tiger to cross the border without losing the protection around it.
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