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 Tiger released in March 2004 Source: John Goodrich, WCS Russia |
AMUR'S Land Rover Helps In Dramatic Amur Tiger Rescue and ReleaseScientists from the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society and other groups working in the Russian Far East released a Siberian tiger last week, after rescuing it from a snare set by poachers. The Land Rover Defender used in the release was donated by Land Rover Russia to the Anglo-Russian Tiger and Leopard conservation charity AMUR.The eight-to-10-year-old male tiger, weighing 385 pounds, was discovered by two Russian students hiking in the woods after they heard it roaring in distress. After they found the tiger with a snare wrapped around its body, they quickly notified forest guards staying in a cabin a few miles away. A team of experts from WCS and Inspection Tiger from Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources, arrived on the scene and anesthetized the tiger so it could be removed from the snare. The tiger had numerous abrasions from the snare, but overall appeared healthy. As a precaution, the team moved the animal to a holding area where it could be observed to make sure it had no internal injuries. Officials believe poachers set the snare specifically to catch tigers, which would have been killed and sold for its skin and body parts. Of the estimated 400 remaining Amur tigers living in the wild, most are killed by people, according to WCS scientists who have been studying Amur tigers since 1992. After the tiger was given a clean bill of health, it was fitted with a radio collar, where it will be tracked by WCS scientists as part of a long-term study to better understand and ultimately protect these magnificent big cats. "The release went well," said WCS scientist John Goodrich, who participated in the animal's rescue and release. "The tiger leapt from his cage about a minute after the door was opened. He then bounded about 20 meters into the forest, stopped, turned, and growled, before walking calmly away." AMUR is an Anglo Russian established in 2001 to raise funds and awareness for the conservation of Russian Amur tigers and leopards. The two Patrons of the charity are Sir Roderic Lyne, British Ambassador to the Russian Federation and Ilya Lagutenko, lead singer of the famous Russian pop group Momye Troll. To date AMUR has raised over quarter of a million dollars towards conservation. AMUR is sponsored by five international companies — Castrol, BP, Land Rover, KPMG and Harcourt Ltd. EDITORS
Chair of Trustees Heathfield House Ross Road Ledbury Herefordshire HR82LE Tel: 01225 851 251 Marina Starkova Information Director Red Square PRojects www.redsquarepr.com Mob: +44 (0) 7803960202 E-mail: info@redsquarepr.com
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