Photo: John Goodrich WCS

SUCCESS STORY!

A rehabilitated Amur tiger is released by WCS scientists

from the AMUR Land Rover Defender

A scientist uses the Defender

and aerial to track radio collared tigers

Radio collared tiger

AMUR Defender is used to transport

orphaned or injured tigers

Veterinary Surgeons from ZSL and

WildlifeVets International carry out a field postmortem

on an Amur leopard killed by a poachers bullet

in the tail.  AMUR contributes funds for this work.

Lord Fairfax, AMUR Patron, and HRH Prince Michaeal of Kent,

visit ananti-poaching team in the Russian Far East in 2005

Skin and firearms confiscated by anti-poaching teams

Fires rage in the Russian Fire East

Firefighting teams

Tiger Day in September in Vladivostok organised

by AMUR partners Phoenix

Tiger Book - thanks to Phoenix

Conservation Programme

No one organization alone can hope to save the tigers and leopards in Russia from extinction, so all the NGOs involved in conservation work collectively in the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance - ALTA.  Between us we can cover all aspects of  this highly complex process from the zoo breeding programmes to veterinary work.

The conservation programme has many facets and is managed by scientists, politicians and charities all working together. However the total amount of money going into tiger and leopard conservation in the Russian Far East is still small and we need to raise a lot more to do all the urgent work that needs doing.

AMUR raises money in Russia and the UK and we donate between $50,000 and $80,000 per year to tiger and leopard conservation.  On this page we outline some of the projects we are supporting.

Please help us with our conservation programmes by making a donation to AMUR at www.givenow.org.

AMUR has two major roles:

• to raise funds for conservation work

• to create greater public awareness in Russia                             and the United Kingdom

AMUR works together with its partners in the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA) to fund the following projects:

• Public Awareness
• Long Term planning in Conferences/Workshops
• Research
• Veterinary work
• Anti-poaching patrols

• Firefighting

• Education

PUBLIC AWARENESS
AMUR holds a series of high profile events in Moscow to draw attention to the plight of the tigers and leopards to the Russian general public. We encourage press coverage in major newspapers and on the national Russian news. (see news and events page)

PLANNING

For conservation to be successful we have to carry out complex planning and evaluation processes which involve all the agencies in ALTA. 

RESEARCH

Research is a vital tool for the conservation mix because it informs all other decisions - research focuses on the tiger/leopard ecology as well as human aspects such as effects of fires, building new roads etc.

AMUR sponsor, Land Rover Russia, donated a specially adapted Defender 930 which is  used by research scientists from WCS ( Wildlife Conservation Society) as they carry out the task of field research. For example the Defender is used to track radio collared tigers so that scientists can learn more about the movements and life patterns of the collared cats.

In addition this vehicle is  used to transport sick/injured or ’problem’ tigers.

Scientists at work in the field

VETERINARY WORK

AMUR part funds an extremely important veterinary project which is being carried out by the Zoological Society of London, Wildlife Vets International and WCS.  This project is carrying out a disease assessment in the population of domestic dogs and cats that live near to tigers and leopards to determine the risks to the big cats.   It is also looking at the health of the remaining small population of Amur leopards. AMUR has donated over $30,000 towards this work in the past couple of years (2006 and 2007).

ANTI-POACHING

Poaching is such a serious threat to both of the Amur big cats that ALTA has to support a number of teams who work to prevent this poaching.  There are teams covering both the habitats of the Amur tiger and the Amur leopard.  The teams use a variety of transport but AMUR has funded the purchase of a jeep.

In addition AMUR contributes to other costs of the teams such as salaries and equipment as well as the wonderful Nadesdja - the German Shepherd Dog who helps to track poachers!

An anti poaching team at work with a new vehicle provided by AMUR in 2002

FIREFIGHTING

Deliberate and accidental fires are a huge problem in the Russian Far East but most worrying are those in the leopard habitat.  This is because once the forests have burned several times it is almost impossible for them to regenerate and so this vital habitat is lost forever.  Such a small area is now available to the leopards that any forest lost is a severe threat to the future of the population.  This is why ALTA is concentrating so hard on this work - firstly carrying out research to learn about the exact nature of the problem and then creating programmes to prevent or reduce the fires.  With a grant from the money raised by the White Nights Ride organised by AMUR Patron Lord Fairfax, AMUR has been able to make a $9,000 grant in 2006 towards firefighting work in Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve.  A firebreak system is being created by using bulldozers to dig trenches to prevent fire spread.  In addition firefighting teams are equipped to help extinguish fires once they have started.

Firefighting teams in the Russian Far East

EDUCATION

It is so important for the conservation effort that the whole local community is behind the work.  But not everyone in the Russian Far East is supportive either because they are unaware of the importance of these big cats or because they feel threatened by the animals.  A lot of time and effort is put into working with local people to allay their fears and to help them find ways to benefit from having these big cats in their area.  For example ALTA partners are working to develop ECO-TOURISM in the area.

AMUR contributes to a whole variety of education work both in the Russian Far East and in wider Russia.  We fund journalist programmes to provide information to allow more informed coverage in the press whilst at the same time we work hard to develop national and international press interest.

We also provide support for local education facilities ranging from supporting a mobile teacher who visits schools in the area with specific presentations and resources, such as beautiful books and posters, to enthuse the children to help with conservation.