This safari park was definitely one of the most unique places I went to in China and while deeply impressive did raise some thorny questions about the nature of Chinese development, tourism and conservation.
I doubt there is a right answer and a lot depends on the future. Please do let me know what you think!
Basic Travel Information
- Nearest City – Harbin
- Season to Visit – Any
- Route there – Public Bus
- Duration: half a day
- Recommended: Definitely!
The Park
The tiger park is located across the river from the centre and old town of Harbin. What makes it special is that is houses approximately 1300 Siberian Tigers. This is by far the largest population of tigers on the planet! For comparison there are an estimated 500-600 Siberian tigers left in the wild, across the entirety of Russia, Mongolia and Northern China. The largest number are in private captivity in the USA.
When you arrive you can go on a safari of sorts through the large open enclosures and see the tigers up close. Tongs are provided so that children can feed the tigers through the bars on the bus windows. There is also a smaller lion enclosure that you are driven through.
There is then an enclosed walkway that you can wander through and see even more tigers in medium sized enclosures and the small breeding enclosures as well as several other species of large cat including leopards and a liger.
You can also cuddle with a baby tiger if you really want the Instagram picture. It seems like it would be very distressing for the cub and mother though. If you have an interest in rather gruesome spectacles you can also pay extra to feed live chickens and other animals to the tigers. I believe the most expensive option was a calf! I did not stop to see of anyone did this when I was there, I find it a pretty sickening form of entertainment!
The Good
It is undeniable that this park has managed to protect and breed a huge population of a critically endangered species. From what I have read they have also managed to keep a genetic variety within the population so that if Siberian tigers do go completely extinct in the wild then it would be possible to reintroduce the species from this source without the issues of limited genetic material.
The tigers generally appeared to be in good condition although I’m obviously not remotely an expert!
The Bad
There was no indication that the tigers are being bred for release back into the wild. In fact the way they are fed, bred and the amount of company they are used to would make it exceptionally difficult to do so.
There are also far far too many tigers for the size of the park. My assumption is that this was not the original intention. The park was built on the opposite side of the river to the main city but Harbin expanded so quickly that it is now completely surrounded by residential areas. Expanding a park and building an entire new one are very different scale endeavours. Whatever the reason though there are over a thousand of the magnificent creatures in less than the territory of 1 in the wild!
There is also a clear priority for tourism to the park so it seems unlikely that it will address these issues in a way that makes it harder for tourists to visit.
Finally I cannot justify in any way the lions, leopards and other big cats that are not endangered and are being kept in Harbin with a climate they are not at all suited for! That is for tourist spectacle plain and simple.
My Questions
- Does “conservation” of a species going extinct in the wild require release back into the wild?
- Would they even be able to release them if they wanted to? Where? Into Russia?
- Is there any form of agreement between the Siberian countries about what to do for this species?
- Is the genetic conservation worth it?
- Does the park management prioritise conservation or tourism? What is the balance?
- Why are the other species there?
- Why did they breed a Liger?
- Is cuddling the tiger cubs as distressing as it seems?
- Is there any value in feeding of live prey for tourist entertainment?
I’ve rarely been so conflicted about how I feel about a place. Please comment below with thoughts or answers if you have them, I’d love to hear your opinions!
Entry fee: 110 RMB including bus trip (or 130 RMB for the bus where children can feed the tigers)
Public buses: There are several public buses that stop in the car park – 35, 122, 123 or 145 depending on where you are in Harbin. It will be obvious when to get off from all the tiger statues.
When to Visit
Winter is the best time to be in Harbin but the Tiger Park will be extremely cold. Bring very warm clothes!
You will also get the best view in winter with no foliage for the tigers to hide in and they will have their huge winter coats as well.
Further Information
These websites were my favourite sources of general information for this location:
Last Updated: November 2019
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