Photo taken on July 19, 2022 shows a South China tiger in the Meihuashan South China Tiger Breeding Institute in Longyan City, Fujian Province. (Photo provided by A Date with China)

　　The "A Date with China" 2022 international media tour group visited the Meihuashan South China Tiger Breeding Institute in Longyan City, east China’s Fujian Province on July 19. Established in 1988, the institute was funded by the Longyan municipal government to save the endangered South China tiger. After decades of breeding, field training and protection work, the number of South China tigers in the institute has grown to 39 from three.

　　The breeding commitment is significant to gene preservation of the endangered species and biodiversity conservation for the local environment. The institute aims to train the bred tigers to survive in the wild and release them to nature.