Research overview: genetics and status of the South China tiger

The South China tiger, considered the ancestral or stem population of modern tigers by some analyses, is likely extinct in the wild and survives only in a small, intensively managed captive population in China. This overview surveys the genetic challenges facing the captive group, including its descent from few founders, documented inbreeding, and uncertainty about hybridization with other subspecies. It discusses the role of studbook management and molecular testing in maintaining what diversity remains, the prospects and controversies surrounding rewilding efforts, and what the South China tiger illustrates about the genetic limits of recovering a subspecies from a tiny captive nucleus.