A non-governmental organization devoted to protecting China's endangered South China Tigers has chosen two places in southern China for reintroducing tigers receiving wildlife training overseas, conservationists said Wednesday.

Quan Li, founder of the NGO Save China's Tigers (SCT), said Zixi County in Jiangxi Province, east China, and Liuyang City in central-south Hunan Province have been selected by Chinese and overseas experts as the sites for the reintroducing tigers to the wild program.

It is estimated that there are only 10 to 30 South China tigers in the wild in the mountains or forests in southern China, while the population of the cat in captivity stands at only about 60.

According to an agreement reached by SCT and the State Administration of Forestry, which is in charge of the country's wildlife protection, two young South China tigers were sent to South Africa in September of 2003 for wildlife acclimatization before their planned release back into the wild in China.

Quan said much needs to be done to get the selected sites ready for the release during the Beijing Summer Olympic Games in 2008, according to the agreement.

The two tigers, one male and one female, are in good condition in South Africa, said Quan, who was born in China.

The male, known as "Hope" is 16 months old, while the female, know as "Cathay", is 18 months old.

They are being trained to get used to life in the wild, such as hunting food.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2004)