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Siberian Tiger Project

Left: Tiger cub in den; Center: WCS staff looking for tigers; Right: Tiger habitat

HIGHLIGHTS

Total Area
· 180,000 km²
· 69,500 mi²

Habitat Types
· Boreal forest and temperate mixed forests

Wildlife Present
Mammals: Siberian (Amur, or Northeast) tiger*, Far Eastern leopard*, Eurasian lynx, Far Eastern forest cat, brown bear, Asiatic black bear*, wolf, wolverine, red deer, sika deer*, roe deer, wild boar, goral*, yellow-throated marten, sable

*indicates endangered.

WCS Involvement
· Since 1992

Contacts
Dr. Dale Miquelle
Russia Country Program Director
dmiquelle@wcs.org

Dr. John Goodrich
Coordinator - Siberian Tiger Project
jgoodrich@wcs.org

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Approximately 330-370 adult Siberian or Amur tigers are left in the wild, with 95% of these animals in the Russian Far East.  Since 1992, the Wildlife Conservation Society's Hornocker Wildlife Institute has conducted intensive studies of tiger ecology in cooperation with the Sikhote-Alin Zapovednik. The area has a unique assemblage of large carnivores, which includes tigers, brown bears, Asiatic black bears, wolves, wolverine, and Eurasian lynx. Because sound conservation recommendations can only be made with well-founded knowledge, through scientific studies we seek to provide a comprehensive picture of the ecology of the Amur tiger and the role of tigers in the Sikhote-Alin ecosystem.  By capturing and outfitting tigers with radio collars, we have been able to study their social structure, land use patterns, food habits, reproduction, mortality patterns and their relation with  other inhabitants of the ecosystem, including humans.   

The Human Aspect
While there are 6 zapovedniks and a host of zakazniks that provide security for tigers, only about 8% of the habitat that is needed for survival of the Siberian tiger population is currently protected.  Protected areas, like Sikhote-Alin, are critical as core areas for breeding and reproduction, but must be linked to suitable habitat across the tigers range.  Therefore, in addition to studying tigers within protected areas, the Siberian Tiger Project also seeks to understand minimum requirements for survival in multiple-use lands.  Management of habitat outside protected areas must provide for the needs of local people, but also be compatible with tiger conservation.

Threats
Primary threats to tigers are: 1) habitat loss from intensive logging and development; 2) depletion of the prey base; and, 3) poaching of tigers.  Amur tigers require vast forest landscapes to survive; our research has demonstrated that each resident female needs about 450 km² to successfully rear cubs.  Therefore, retaining intact forest is vital to their survival.  Our monitoring of radio-collared tigers has demonstrated that human-caused mortality accounts for 75-85% of all tiger deaths. Tigers are most commonly poached for their fur and for their body parts that are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, but they are also seen as a threat to domestic livestock and dogs and as competitors to hunters. Our research has demonstrated that roads providing access to remote areas dramatically increase poaching of tigers.

WCS Activities

Since 1992, the goal of this project has been to collect the best possible scientifically based information on tiger ecology and conservation for use in conservation plans.  In February 1992, Olga, the first Siberian tiger was captured and radiocollared at the age of one. After 13 years of radio tracking Olga, and 44 other radio-collared tigers thereafter, we now have a wealth of information on tigers in the northern limits of their range:
· Over 80% of tiger mortality in Russia is caused by humans;
· Tigers produce on average 2.4 cubs every 21 months, but about 50% die before reaching the age of 1  (many die when their mothers are poached);
· Each female tiger requires about 450 km2; the largest protected area within the tiger range (Sikhote-Alin Zapovednik, 4,000 km2) shelters only 10 tigresses;
· Red deer and wild boar make up about 85% of the tiger's diet, so managing these species is vital to tiger conservation;
· Dispersing young tigers may wander over 200 km in search of their own territory;
· Tiger mortality is greater in areas with roads then in the remote roadless areas.
Protection from human-induced mortality would only increase density and reproduction, as tigresses could live long enough to ensure their offspring’s reproductive success. Based on growing knowledge of the tiger's landscape, WCS has developed a plan for an inclusive protected areas network linking key tiger habitat across the Sikhote-Alin Ecosystem and through China. In 2000, the Russian government requested WCS to assist with tiger-human conflict situations due to our knowledge and expertise with wild tigers. This resulted in improved capacity to alleviate tiger-human conflicts through aversive conditioning and translocation of problem tigers, as well as reduced human-caused mortality while insuring safety and security of local citizens. Training is an ongoing process in which we engage to help Russian government personnel resolve Tiger-Human Conflicts.

Important Next Steps

Over the next five years our research efforts will focus on:
· Continuing collection of baseline data on tiger ecology on Sikhote-Alin Zapovednik;
· Developing a training program for the next generation of tiger conservationists;
· Implementing studies outside protected areas on effects of human disturbances on tigers;
· Studying transboundary movements of tigers and leopards in southwest Primorye and neighboring China;
· Working with “LesKhoz” and logging concessions to develop a wide-ranging road-closure program;
· Developing economic incentives for local communities to invest in tiger conservation;
· Full range mapping of tiger habitat and tiger threats and development of a zoning process that would mitigate human impacts on critical tiger habitat;
· Expanding work with hunters and hunting leases to increase prey numbers in unprotected areas and reduce conflicts between people and tigers;
· Determining more useful ways of dealing with problem tigers.

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