Rare tiger fights for its life after illegal shooting

The badly wounded female Amur tiger cub was found on her own by a hunter in Primoskiy region who immediately sought help. Vets and tiger experts provided assistance: the animal was immobilized to allow examination and first aid. 

The cub was found to be 'seriously injured' and in need of specialist care. Experts refused to detail the exact wounds to avoid hampering a criminal investigation into the shooting. 

Sergei Aramilev, director of the Amur Tiger Centre, said: 'Unfortunately, the injuries are quite serious. At the moment, the vets have done everything possible, and now it all depends on the tiger's organism. We want to believe she will make it. Now it is the question of life and death. It is premature to speak about her future options, zoo or wild.'

A spokesman at the Tiger Centre in Moscow later told The Siberian Times that the cub's condition had improved, and she was trying to stand up. Andrey Shorshin, told: 'She even tried to stand up on all four legs, but in her state it is strongly prohibited.'

'The experts are worried about the mother of the cub,' added Aramilev. 'So far, she has not been traced. During the 'census' a female tiger with her cub were regularly spotted (in this area), and they never showed any aggression towards humans or domestic animals.' 

The fear is the mother was killed by poachers to sell her skin and other body parts on the black market to China. 

Despite a tightening of the law, the Amur - or Siberian - tiger remains vulnerable to poachers. There are now believed to be 500 or so Amur tigers living in the wild. Recently another cub was shot in Khabarovk region.