Hope for future of the rare species as census says there could be as many as 540 of them now living in the Far East.
This is precisely how Yakutia gets its impressive river fleet ready for the new season of navigation.
Conservationists and experts due to meet over what to do with animal listed as most endangered big cat in the world.
Norman Surplus, 49, is refusing to give up, 15 months after being denied access to Russian airspace to complete is round the world adventure.
Handler defends moving the reptile in extreme conditions after media highlight animal's death from hypothermia.
Sergey Golubev from Krasnoyarsk left on a 7,120 km round trip by dinghy in July, aiming to return in September.
For most of her life Agafya, 77, has lived as a peasant from the 18th century, guided by an old Bible.