A wild Baekdu tiger is spotted on a highway in Jilin Province, China, near the North Korean border./Courtesy of Weibo

A wild Baekdusan tiger was captured on a highway in China's Jilin Province, near the North Korean border.

On the 3rd, local Chinese media, including Hongseong News, reported that "a wild tiger, which is critically endangered, was sighted on a highway in Jilin Province." This tiger was discovered on the 2nd at 4 p.m. on National Route 331 in Jilin Province.

Videos circulating through social media platforms like Weibo and Douyin show the slender Baekdusan tiger walking across the road. The tiger also walked along the road, overtaking vehicles for a considerable distance.

Nearby drivers are seen recording the sighting with curiosity. Mr. Zhou, who filmed and reported the video, noted, "I spotted the tiger on the road while driving. When the tiger noticed the cars on the road, it jumped into the forest but soon returned to the road."

According to testimonies from local residents, this is not the first time a tiger has been spotted near the road. In particular, it is reported that over 20 cattle being grazed were killed or injured last spring due to an attack from this tiger. There have also been sightings of the tiger eating horses and pigs raised by village residents.

One witness told Hongseong News, "It was a small and thin tiger, and it seems to resemble the one that the villagers remember. I think it came down to where people live because it is not skilled at hunting."

With the awareness of the tiger's presence, local residents are avoiding entering the mountains. Relevant authorities have also mandated a ban on grazing livestock in the nearby area.

The Baekdusan tiger, also known as the Amur tiger or Siberian tiger, has been designated as "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List since 2008. Currently, it is estimated that the population of wild Siberian tigers in the East Asia region is about 500 to 560.

The area where the tiger was spotted borders the Siberian tiger and leopard national park, which covers an area of 14,100 square kilometers. As the local ecosystem has been restored, the population of wild Baekdusan tigers has reportedly reached over 50 as of last year.

Local forestry authorities have indicated that wild tigers may be sighted in the spring and summer, advising, "If you encounter a tiger while driving, do not get out of the vehicle. Keep a safe distance and move the vehicle slowly."

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