The number of tigers in Russia has reached 750 individuals
According to the latest census that took place last winter in the Far East, the tiger population in Russia is around 750 individuals. New data was released at the II International Forum on Tiger Conservation. After the previous census in 2015, the number of tigers in the Far East was ranged from 520 to 540 individuals.
"Today, the tiger population in the Russian Far East is close to optimal, this is a long–awaited victory of a large team, that includes hundreds of people from, science, business, government and public organizations," said Dmitry Gorshkov, Director of the WWF-Russia. – Now it is vital not to slow down the pace of conservation and maintain a decent level of protection of the species. To protect tiger’s habitat from destruction, to support the ungulate population, especially after the rampant African swine fever and abnormal snowfalls. It is important to increase the support of anti-conflict groups and look for new innovative methods. Successes in nature conservation can quite easily roll back without proper attention."
As there are fewer territories suitable for tigers to live than 100 years ago, the tiger population is unlikely to actively increase in the future.
Nevertheless, about 13% of the world tiger population lives in Russia. According to this indicator, the country ranks second in the world after India.
"Now the main aim for tiger conservation will no longer be to increase the number, but to maintain this number at an optimal level and the absence of conflicts with humans," Dmitry Gorshkov added. – There are still a lot of tasks for nature conservation in the Far East, and the most ambitious one is the expansion of the range of the Amur leopard in the south of Sikhote–Alin. Now WWF-Russia is building a reintroduction center in the Lazovsky Nature Reserve that will allow settling historical parts of the area where leopards have not been seen for more than 50 years."
The center for reintroduction of the Amur leopard in the Lazovsky Reserve is being built in order to increase the number of subspecies, as well as to solve the problem of reducing the genetic diversity of the Russian population. At the moment, the only grouping of the Far Eastern leopard in Russia, consisting of 121 adults and 14 kittens and living in the Land of the Leopard National Park and its surroundings. The project is being implemented by the World Wildlife Fund and the Ministry of Nature Management and Ecology of the Russian Federation. The preservation of the existing population is carried out by the ANO "Far Eastern Leopards" with the support of partners.