The Amur tiger and her three cubs, the world’s rarest cat species, passed through the lens of a camera trap in the Russian Far East: an exceptional family photo rewarding efforts to save these endangered cats.
The four tigers, named after the river that flows between Russia and China, were photographed in a national park. These photos were published Friday.
We see spotted animals standing on a cliff overlooking the forest. Mother, on lookout, may have spotted another animal, leaving the tire.
Watching her cubs, they are photographed for about a minute.
According to Ivan Rakov, spokesperson for the “Land of the Leopards” park, located in the Russian region of Primorye, this is the first time that this female has been photographed with her offspring.
“We discovered that she was able to raise a family,” Mr. Rakov rejoices, told AFP, noting that this is the “first litter” of this female, who is estimated to be four years old.
Rakov says that growing such a large garbage in the taiga is not easy: it requires “a lot of space and a lot of food”.
Amur tigers, famous for their climbing skills, are the world’s rarest big cats and are endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
In recent years, measures taken by the Russian and Chinese authorities against deforestation and poaching have made it possible to significantly increase their numbers.
Its population is currently estimated to be over 100 individuals in Russia, up from around 35 20 years ago. For Ivan Rakov, this tiger, also known as the Amur tiger, “came back from the dead.”
“It’s a great success,” said Alexeï Kostyria, in charge of rare species with the Russian branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in the region.
According to Mr. Costeria, the creation of protected areas and joint efforts with China have saved the species from overfishing that has now “practically” disappeared.
The expert determines that herds of reindeer, a delicacy for cats, have also increased in this vast area that is also home to lynx and tigers.