A Siberian tiger recently entered the village of Huichun, Jilin province and proceeded to kill six cattle, Xinhua News Agency reported. After the attack, another 20 cattle were missing.

According to Zhou Yamei, a local villager, people are now afraid to herd their cattle on the nearby hills. Zhou, 62, reported that it was the first time he had ever seen a tiger appear in the village. Another villager, Zhou Changyuan, said that even firecrackers failed to scare the tiger away. Now some villagers are considering moving away from their home, despite the fact that generations of their families have lived in Huichun.

Data from Beijing Normal University and authorities in Jilin shows that the province is home to 27 Siberian tigers. Jilin's provincial government issued a plan 10 years ago to compensate the victims of wild animal attacks. By the end of last year, compensation totaling 120 million yuan had been awarded by the local government.

Xiao Wanjun, an official with the Forestry Department of Jilin, noted that a national park for tigers is currently in the planning phase. The national park aims to alleviate fears of local residents, Xiao said.