¡¡¡¡CHANGSHA, February 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Hunan Province, in central China, will kick off a project which aims to save South China tigers, an endangered species, and improve the living environment of the creatures.

¡¡¡¡The latest statistics show that at least six wild South China tigers are living in the province which used to be one of the major living places for the tigers.

¡¡¡¡Gui Xiaojie, an official with the forestry protection department of the provincial forestry bureau, said that the planned project also aims to protect yellow-bellied tragopans, white-necked long-tailed pheasants, white cranes, clouded leopardsand other rare species.

¡¡¡¡Gui disclosed that within the next 10 years, the province will build a rare pheasant breeding center, a safari park, a wild animal and plant research center, and a center for monitoring wildanimal and plant resources.

¡¡¡¡According to its plan, the province will have 100 nature reserves by 2010, covering a combined area of 1.3 million hectares,or 6.1 percent of the province's total area. Enditem