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Police save smuggled Amur tiger cub in Western Siberia

By 0 and 0 and 0
12 October 2015

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The Amur - or Siberian - tiger cub was flown to Moscow and is undergoing medical tests. Picture: Ministry of Internal Affairs

Police in Nizhnevartovsk intercepted a gang smuggling a young tiger caught in the wild as a small cub. Several smugglers were arrested in the city amid suspicions the tiger was to be supplied to China. The Amur - or Siberian - tiger cub was flown to Moscow and is undergoing medical tests. 

Anton Kulbachevsky, head of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection in Moscow, said: 'Parts of bodies of tigers obtained in Russia basically go to China. They are in demand for Chinese medicine and cuisine. In fact it is considered a delicacy. People pay huge money for this.'

Officers from the Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Department, working with colleagues from Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous district, were alerted to the tiger cub's presence in Nizhnevartovsk, evidently on a black market supply route to China.

Siberian tiger cub


Siberian tiger cub


Siberian tiger cub


Siberian tiger cub


Siberian tiger cub

Tiger cub will not be returned to the wild amid fears it would not survive after being captured by man. Pictures: Ministry of Internal Affairs

'They confiscated the cub from the smugglers who were engaged in the resale of animals listed in the Red Book,' said Elena Alekseeva, an Interior Ministry official. 

Police took the cub to Moscow by plane and passed it to staff of the Moscow government's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. The cub is now undergoing examination by specialists of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution. It will not be returned to the wild amid fears it would not survive after being captured by man. A competition is underway to name the animal.

Only 500 Amur tigers remain in the wild. The population is slowly but gradually increasing, but is not yet at a level where its stability is guaranteed.

Comments (19)

Another reason to stop buying stuff from #China or visiting there. Speak with your wallet!
#AnimalRightsViolators Poor thing must be traumatized!
Kristina , Los Angeles, CA USA
01/12/2015 10:18
0
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Stop the
trudie yoshino, japan
18/10/2015 19:33
0
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Animals apparently have no rights.
Carole kavelman, Oshawa, Ontario canada
16/10/2015 22:13
1
1
The Law enforcement for these horrible crimes against our animals must be much stronger !! Thank you for rescuing this tiger. I hope it will have a good life :)
guri-kristine mundal, trondheim norway
16/10/2015 17:51
5
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These people should be jailed, stop the smuggling, evil pratice.
karen, Queensland
16/10/2015 04:38
8
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These animals should be free in the wold not in your
Back yard.
MarionBaur, arizona,USA
16/10/2015 02:07
9
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Wild animals belong in the wild, their home! When will humans learn to respect wildlife?
Barbara Bocca , Redwood City, USA
16/10/2015 01:54
10
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breaks my heart, soulless people capture and kill wild animals for money, stop catching and killing any animal
Adriana Green, Pittsburg, Ca USA
15/10/2015 23:39
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Governments need to pass laws making it illegal to possess big cats. Tougher laws to regulate or legalize so called sanctuaries. Prohibit importing into countries that are not native to the animal.
Linda, Idaho, USA
15/10/2015 22:11
4
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was ot now or ever meant to be for one cat kitten leopard, tiger, lion, cheetah, and all the rest to ever be captured, and caged so sad so wrong
barbaranorswortrhyzerbe@gmail.com, lauringburg, nc.2i352
14/10/2015 09:03
3
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Please do a follow up story on what will happen to the smugglers... because it appears a good way to get an animal into the country is to make it appear that it was brought in by smugglers (for China) Meanwhile Russia KEEPS the animal and simply uses it for profit in other ways.
Vanessa, Toronto, CA
14/10/2015 08:05
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"It will not be returned to the wild amid fears it would not survive after being captured by man. A competition is underway to name the animaL" Then please do a follow up story and tell us WHERE this animal will end up and if it will be just for another type of profit... the world would love to know what the Russians will do.
Beetit, Vancouver, BC
14/10/2015 08:03
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What a lucking cub,,, china should be sanction..
Eddie Patrick, Texas usa
14/10/2015 02:44
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Please DO NOT send to a zoo!! Rehabilitate and release back to its habitat when old enough or, if not, send to a reputable sanctuary. Captivity kills!!
Vanessa, US
13/10/2015 13:59
11
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China is in desperate need of education on wild life they need to be taught in the schools...surely to God there are people in China against this why don't they stand up against it..I guess they will dissappear off the face if the earth of they tried. What a mess...
Amanda, Uk
13/10/2015 13:56
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