According to China Environmental Protection News, the first photo of a Dongbei tiger in the wild was captured recently, which is the fourth time since 2014 that a tiger has been detected in the region. The photos themselves can be seen on the Forestry Department website here.

The photo was taken by a camera trap set up in the Muleng Forest area of the Hong Dou Shan Nature Reserve in Heilongjiang Province, after department workers had discovered the apparent place where tigers had been hunting wild pigs. Hearing that a trail of footprints had been discovered near the camera traps, the department rushed to examine the results from the cameras. And there, dated January 3rd, were photos of a large, healthy adult tiger.

Since the Tian Bao project (designed to protect the environment around the upper reaches of the Yangtze, Dongbei and Inner Mongolia, amongst others) was put into effect 20 years ago, CEP News said, the Muleng Forest has been able to recuperate after years of deforestation and pollution. The area is now able to provide a far better living environment and habit for wild animals, and from this evidence can be regarded as something of a success. As to whether the Tian Bao project itself can be regarded as a success, however, one must channel that common misquotation of Deng Xiaoping, that it’s too early to say.