Interesting that, after I’d wondered re the photo I’d seen, there have been reports re questions being raised on internet blogs etc re the authenticity of the South China tiger photos.
The farmer who took them is headed for Beijing, to get State Forestry people to verify the photos (or not!)
Just seen that a team will investigate in the area where the photos were reportedly taken. News item includes:
The Shaanxi Forestry Department said it wants to set up a national nature reserve in the province. The tiger news, whether true or not, has already brought unprecedented attention to the county of 57,000 people in northern Shaanxi.
Zhou, a former hunter, also arouse more suspicion when he refused to release his photos just one day before the provincial forestry authority planned to hold a news conference about the tiger’s reappearance on October 12.
Zhou said he wouldn’t allow his pictures to be published unless the provincial authority offered him a reward of one million yuan (US$133,333). He eventually agreed to lower his request to 20,000 yuan for two pictures.