Phoenix relocate tigress - 19th of February 2010

On February 18, in the vicinity of Orlovka village in Lesozavodsky district specialists of the Primorsky Game and Rare Species Department (Primorsky Hunting Management Department), Pacific Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Science and Wildlife Conservation Society captured a female Amur tiger, who had previously killed two horses in a village.

Visual examination showed that the female was of average fatness, had no serious wounds and was about 4-5 years old. It is thought she must not have had any cubs yet. One canine is absent, another two are partly broken. The tigress is 176 cm long (69 inches), has 8.7 cm (3.4 inches) paw width and weighs 125-130 kg.

Upon examination it was decided to leave the animal in the wild, radiocollaring it and moving to some other remote area. When a permission for doing so was obtained, the tigress was transported to a unpopulated place at the border with the Udege Legend Nature Park and released. The Park staff eyewitnessed the event.

Specialists will follow the future of the animal, and take measure if it comes close to human settlements. We would like to note that the Primorsky Hunting Management Department worked promptly to resolve the conflict situation and its decision regarding the animal was humane. We are hopeful that the tigress will live a long and happy life in her new home.

For many years the Phoenix Fund follows conflict tiger situations and provides help to Inspection Tiger, Primorsky Game and Rare Species Department, nature reserves, national parks and other institutions, in order to resolve conflict situations and fight poaching.