The Amur tiger is a rare species. Lazovsky State Reserve
Basic moments
AT national park"Call of the Tiger" there are 56 mountain peaks over 1000 m high. Mount Oblachnaya (1854 m) is the highest point in Primorye. Climbing it is not at all an easy task: there are practically no special entrances. All efforts are justified a hundredfold, when a stunning view of the Ussuri River, Snezhnaya and Sestra mountains opens from the top. It seems that the whole region is in full view. At the top of Cloudy there is a stone tower - a shelter from the wind, built by tourists. According to tradition, everyone climbing this mountain must bring a stone for the tower with them - by counting the stones, you can find out how many daredevils were able to take the height.
There are eight picturesque waterfalls in the park. One of the most beautiful is the Divny waterfall on the Milogradovka River, whose height is 7 m. Every second, 2-3 m³ of water falls down. You can go to the Blue and Pink Rapids and admire how the river flows “dance” along the colored rocky ledges, or visit the Muta tract, where an unusual landscape of swampy tundra stretches for tens of kilometers.
The park has interesting and unusual mountains: Sister (318 m) and Kamen-Brother (242 m). They rise above the valleys of the Ussuri and Milogradovka rivers, but they themselves are located directly on the banks of the Suchan River, 2.5 km from Nakhodka. Interestingly, both mountains (hills) have an almost regular shape of a trihedral pyramid, so some local historians consider them to be similar to the Egyptian pyramids.
Between the Brother and the Sister, there is a summit ridge crowned with giant remnants from 15 to 30 m high. Sometimes they take very bizarre shapes, which is why the locals called them the Dragon's Teeth. These rocks are ancient reefs that are about 250 million years old. Nearby is a "relative" of these mountains - Nephew Hill. At the foot of the hill Brat in ancient times there was a stone shrine - pagan temple. There was a belief that if you come to the mountain with pure thoughts and ask her for something, then this will certainly come true.
general information
- Full title: national park"Call of the Tiger".
- IUCN Category: II (National Park).
- Date of foundation: June 2, 2007.
- Region: Primorsky Krai, Lazovsky, Olginsky and Chuguevsky districts.
- Area: 82152 ha.
- Relief: mountainous.
- Climate: monsoon.
- Official site: http://zov-tigra.ru/.
- Email: [email protected]
History of creation
There are two national parks in Primorsky Krai, organized just a few years ago and with rather unusual names: "Udege Legend" and "Call of the Tiger". Scientists wanted to create a national park in the Lazovsky district 20 years ago. It was then that the specialists of the Far Eastern Branch Russian Academy sciences began to develop a long-term program for the protection of nature and the rational use natural resources Primorsky region. A well-known seaside scientist, and later director of the park, Yuri Ivanovich Beresnev, together with his colleagues, substantiated the need to preserve unique natural objects Primorye. Initially, the organizers wanted to name the park "Verkhne-Ussuriysky", but then they came to the conclusion that the "Call of the Tiger" would be closer, more understandable and more interesting to people, because the population of the Ussuri tiger in Russia a few years ago was on the verge of extinction.
If people had not heard the desperate call of nature for help, perhaps not a single striped "amba" would have remained in the Ussuri taiga today. That is what the locals call tigers.
national parkVegetable world
Since the Call of the Tiger National Park was created quite recently, it has not yet been possible to conduct an accurate inventory of the flora. At the same time, the general laws governing the formation of plant communities and the species lists of plants have been described with great care. About 96% of the park area is occupied by forests. Siberian cedar(Pinus sibirica) and Amur velvet (Phellodendron amurense) are among the main tree species. Given the mountainous nature of the relief, the flora is characterized altitudinal zonality. But two types of larches - Olginskaya and Komarova (Larix olgensis and L. komarovii) - are found here almost everywhere.
An amazing miracle may seem like a walk through the Far Eastern forest, where vines twine around the trees: Chinese magnolia vine (Schisandra chinensis), spicy actinidia (Actinidia arguta) and Amur grapes (Vitis amurensis). Their berries are not only beautiful, but also very useful. For example, Chinese magnolia vine has been used in folk medicine since ancient times as an immunomodulator and a powerful source of vitamins. The strong tonic effect of its fruits can quickly restore the strength of a weakened body.
High in the mountains can be found close relative ginseng - zamanihu (Oplopanax elatum). A tincture of its roots enhances blood pressure and stimulates the central nervous system.
There are many interesting and unusual lichens in the park. One of them is Peltiger's lichen (Peltigera canina), which grows in clearings or along roadsides, in places where there is enough sunlight. Its wide and very thin plates take on the most bizarre shapes. The color of the lichen varies from dirty gray to steel.
Animal world
The final lists of the park's fauna are still being formed. Of its inhabitants, listed in the Red Book of Russia, the Amur tiger should be named ( Panthera tigris altaica), Ussuri spotted deer (Cervus nippon), Goral (Naemorhedus goral), Far Eastern leopard(Panthera pardus orientalis) and red wolf (Siop alpinus). The leopard and the red wolf lived here 20 years ago, but in recent times There are no records of meetings with them. Common animals of the park include brown and Himalayan bears ( Ursus arctos and U. thibetanus), red deer (Cervus elaphus xanthopygus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), European roe deer ( capreolus capreolus), as well as musk deer (Moschus moschiferus).
The Ussuri tiger is the northernmost and smallest subspecies of tigers.The Amur, or Far Eastern, tiger is not only the northernmost subspecies of the cat family, but also the smallest in the world. In 1996, according to various estimates, they remained from 415 to 476 individuals. The highest density of these animals was noted in the Lazovsky district.
Many rare and endemic bird species nest in the national park. These are scaly merganser (Mergus squamatus), fish owl (Bubo blakistoni), black stork (Ciconia nigra), white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), mandarin duck (Aix galericulata), needle-footed owl (Ninox scutulata) and others. By the way, today it belongs to the rarest birds in Russia, is listed in the Red Book and is on the verge of extinction. This one of the largest representatives of the owl family feeds mainly on fish, preferring salmon. He hunts not only at night, but also during the daytime.
The fish fauna of the reservoirs of the national park (in particular, the Ussuri River and its tributaries) has one peculiarity. Here dwell the representatives of the pure mountain rivers, such as the common taimen ( Hucho taimen), moored lenok (Brachymystax lenok) and Siberian grayling (Thymallus arcticus). At the same time, the park is home to fish that prefer warm stagnant muddy waters: crucian carp (Carassius carassius), common catfish (Silurus glanis), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), killer whale (Pseudobagrus fulvidraco) and ayxa (Siniperca chuatsi). By the way, the last species of fish is listed in the Red Book of Russia, although it is quite common in China. There, auha leads the list of the most delicious freshwater fish.
park mode
In the national park "Call of the Tiger" a number of interesting tourist routes have been developed, among which are "Mountains Sister and Stone-Brother", "Mountain Cloud", "Mountain Snow", "River Milogradovka". There are many attractions and natural monuments in the park, which are worth seeing at least once in a lifetime.
How to get there
To get to the Call of the Tiger national park, you need to get to the villages of Lazo or Chuguevka. The route to Lazo has already been described earlier, and there is a daily bus from Vladivostok to Chuguevka, where you can fly by plane (travel time from Moscow is 7 hours 40 minutes) or by train (the journey takes 5-6 days).
Where to stay
In the village of Lazo, you can stay in a hotel or rent a room or a house from local residents. Camping is allowed on the territory of the park itself. In Chuguevka there is a visitor center of the park, where you can also stay.
Amur tiger- the rarest representative of the world. Even in the middle of the 19th century, their population was numerous, but by the end of this century, about 100 individuals were killed every year.
Thanks to this, already around the 30s of the 20th century, the Amur region was on the verge of complete disappearance from planet Earth. On the territory of the USSR at that time there were less than 50.
There are several main reasons for this phenomenon:
- Destruction of forests and shrubs where the Amur lived;
- Reducing the number of main food items;
- Direct extermination of individuals by poachers.
One of the biggest predators on the planet Amur tiger. Red Book already for years protect individuals of this species. However, in April 2007, according to experts from the World Wildlife Fund, the Amur population reached the same number as a hundred years ago. In this regard, on this moment The tiger is not on the brink of extinction.
In 2008 - 2009, a complex expedition took place as part of the Amur program, as a result of which it was determined that 6 representatives of this species were counted on the territory of the Ussuriysky Reserve. It also turned out that animal amur tiger uses for its residence the territory, which is more than twice the area of the entire reserve.
The Amur tiger has a beautiful skin color inherent in a predator: transverse dark stripes are located on a red background on the back and sides. There is an opinion that it is impossible to meet at least two individuals with the same pattern, because they are all unique. This color, although it is bright, but performs a camouflage function.
Due to its size, the tiger does not have stamina. To catch prey, he has to sneak up to her as close as possible, which helps the color, which merges with dry.
look Amur tiger photo and you will see for yourself. On average, these tigers live for about 15 years. Although the maximum life span is half a century, tigers, as a rule, die before their old age.
Predators feed only on animal food, most often large prey. They devote a significant part of their time to hunting, but only a tenth of the attempts to grab prey end in luck.
Animals live in the southeast, the banks of the Amur and Ussuri, in Manchuria, the north of the DPRK. It can be found in Primorsky Krai and in the east Khabarovsk Territory. Their range from the north is about a thousand kilometers, and from west to east - about 700 km. Tigers are especially common in the Lazovsky district of Primorsky Krai.
As habitats, Amur tigers choose mountain river valleys with a predominance of tree species such as oak and cedar. Any adult individual lives independently on a personal territory, which can be up to 450 square kilometers for females and up to 2 thousand square kilometers for males.
Location: Russia, Far Eastern Federal District, Primorsky Territory.
Square: 121 thousand hectares
Protected zone area: 15 thousand hectares
Specialization: conservation and study of natural complexes of liana cedar-broad-leaved forests of the southern Sikhote-Alin, protection and restoration of populations of valuable and rare animals living in them, for example, the Amur tiger, Amur goral, Far Eastern leopard, giant shrew, common long-winged, Ussuri spotted deer.
In 1935, in the south of the Sikhote-Alin region, the Sudzukhinsky (now Lazovsky) reserve was organized. At first it was a branch of the Sikhote-Alin Reserve. The protected area was determined to protect and study the natural complexes of liana coniferous-deciduous and broad-leaved forests of the Southern Sikhote-Alin. In prehistoric times, the alternation of cooling and warming in the south of the Far East led to a mixture of southern and northern life forms, which determined a high degree biodiversity in this area.
In addition to the conservation of forests, the Lazovsky Reserve was created to protect the animals that lived there and were on the verge of extinction. The "risk group" included the Amur goral, wild spotted deer, and sable. By this time, tigers did not permanently live on the territory of the Sudzukhinsky Reserve. The reason for this is their widespread, sometimes ruthless, unmotivated destruction. Tigers were killed, without thinking about the consequences, throughout the Far East, and not just in a single area.
With the support of the Russian Geographical Society, the employees of the reserve are implementing the project "Lazovsky District - a model area for the conservation and increase in the number of tigers (or how many tigers can live in the south of the Russian Far East)". Its goal is to identify factors that determine the number, density and structure of tiger groups in the reserve, to establish the reasons why these characteristics are optimal here. To do this, it is also necessary to study in detail the relationship of the tiger with other species, to know the abundance, density, and feeding habits of all animal species with which the tiger interacts.
With the creation of reserves, the prohibition of hunting for the Amur tiger and the capture of cubs, the inclusion of a predator in the International Red Book and in the Red Books of the USSR and the RSFSR, the number of this animal has increased, and the tiger began to populate its former habitats. On the territory of the Lazovsky Reserve, traces of the striped predator have been noted again since 1947. By the end of the 1970s, tigers had mastered the entire protected area. Since that time, the staff of the reserve annually registers from 8 to 16 adult and half-adult individuals and 2-3 broods, in which there can be up to eight cubs.
The densest population
The number of tigers is determined during winter counts. The employees of the reserve record all the traces of predators they meet in the snow, passing permanent routes. Accountants note not only the tracks of tigers, but also the tracks of ungulates. During these works, tiger tracks are measured, their age is determined. Comparing the results of observations, one can obtain information not only about the number of tigers, but also determine the nature of the movement of the number of studied species, as well as compare different territories with each other in terms of the density of both this tabby cat and ungulates.
It turned out that the number and density of tigers, as well as ungulates in the reserve is much higher than in the adjacent territory, which differs only in the status of protection. In addition, there are more tiger cubs in the reserve, and their survival rate is higher.
Monitoring of the Amur tiger population shows that the Lazovsky Reserve maintains the highest density of tigers and ungulates within the range of this predator. At present, the density of the tiger in the territory of the Lazovsky Reserve is twice the average density of the tiger population in other regions of the south of the Russian Far East. Thus, the reserve can be considered a model site for the restoration of the tiger population and its study.
In addition, in the course of studying the tiger in the reserve, extensive material has been accumulated on other species that live here and are associated with the tiger. First of all, these are animals that the striped cat hunts - spotted deer, wild boar, red deer, roe deer, Himalayan and brown bears, badger, raccoon dog.
Few tigers or many?
The answer to the question of how many tigers can live in the Russian Far East, if the protection of habitats is at the proper level, should be answered by the joint project of the reserve and the Russian Geographical Society “Lazovsky District - a model area for the conservation and increase in the number of tigers (or how many tigers can live in the south Far East of Russia).
To implement the project, it is necessary to use not only traditional methods of studying striped cats (tracking tracks, route survey of the territory), but also modern methods studying animals using digital automatic video and photo cameras. The latter are installed in places where tigers are most likely to pass: near trees, rocks, on which these predators leave odorous signals, that is, marks.
The archive of the reserve already has photographs of all the tigers living on its territory. Striped predators are distinguished by the pattern on the skin, which, like a human fingerprint, is strictly individual. According to the confiscated skins and photographs of the killed tigers, the staff of the reserve can identify an individual if it lived in the reserve.
Tiger food
An increase in the number of the tiger and its return to its former habitats could not have occurred without an increase in the number of the basis of its diet - wild boar, red deer, sika deer, and roe deer. Lazovsky's scientists were able to trace the switch in the tiger's food preference from wild boar and wapiti to sika deer, which occurred in the early 1990s.
Adult tigers can prey on large animals, including brown and Himalayan bears, while the nutrition of young individuals has not been studied enough. It is likely that small-sized animals are of great importance in their diet: young ungulates, badgers, raccoon dogs and others. There is also little information about the diet of tigers in the snowless season. To fill this gap will help the study of the species of the hair of the victims, which remain in the excrement of predators and which are studied with a microscope. In order to know the reserves of tiger food objects, herbivore counts are carried out in winter on routes and test sites, fixing the tracks of animals. As for those species that sleep in winter, camera traps come to the rescue from spring to autumn.
Studies conducted in the reserve have shown that there are no serious food competitors for the tiger in relation to ungulates. But in relation to small animals that young individuals can prey on, interspecific competition can be quite intense. To answer this question, it is necessary not only to count the number of other predators (lynx, harza, fox, and others) that live in the reserve and compete with young tigers for food, but also to study their diet.
Sometimes tigers can go to settlements and attack domestic animals, creating conflict situations, which puts themselves in danger. To solve this problem, special techniques have been developed to scare away tigers - these are substances that cause taste aversion to a certain type of prey in predators, and scare rockets that are installed near the remains of tiger victims. The animal approaches the half-eaten carcass, the rocket fires, the predator runs away and, as a rule, attacks on domestic animals stop. By applying these measures, the staff of the reserve and the organization "Society for the Protection of the Tiger" help to wean tigers from certain place hunting.
The staff of the reserve always conduct research on the bodies of dead tigers and other animals. This is necessary both to find out the causes of their death, and to identify various diseases.
All this will help to assess the health status of the tiger population and related animals.
Help to study tigers
The text was prepared on the basis of the work of a senior researcher Lazovsky Reserve, Candidate of Biological Sciences Galina Salkina.
Photo: press service of the Lazovsky Reserve
Where does the largest cat in the world live? Every student knows this. The northernmost subspecies of the tiger lives in Primorye and some neighboring regions. One of the most formidable predators ever created by nature, the perfect killing machine. And at the same time, the Ussuri tigers - the largest among their fellow tribesmen - are also the least aggressive towards humans. The king of the taiga, recently on the brink of extinction, respects people and treats them as equals.
The Amur tiger (also known as the Ussuri tiger) is one of the largest land predators on our planet. The weight of a large Amur tiger can reach more than 300 kilograms. Some sources report tigers weighing up to 390 kg, although now such large tigers are not found. Body length 160-290 cm, tail - 110 cm. The Amur tiger is an ornament of the Far Eastern taiga and an object of worship for many peoples of the Far East. This beautiful, exotically colored cat, unparalleled in strength and power in the entire world fauna, is depicted on the flag and coat of arms of Primorsky Krai, as well as on many heraldic symbols of cities and regions of the region. The history of the species indicates that the tiger is a vulnerable animal, despite its large size and huge physical strength, and it is such that it can drag a horse carcass over 500 m along the ground, a tiger is able to reach speeds of up to 80 km / h in the snow, second only to a cheetah in speed.
The fate of the Amur tiger is dramatic. In the middle of the 19th century it was numerous. At the end of the XIX century. up to 100 animals were harvested annually. In the thirties of the last century, the tiger occasionally met only in the most remote corners of the Ussuri taiga, difficult to reach for humans. The Amur tiger was on the verge of extinction due to unregulated shooting of adults, intensive capture of tiger cubs, information forest areas in the vicinity of some rivers and a decrease in the number of wild artiodactyl animals caused by increased hunting pressure and other reasons; Winters with little snow had an unfavorable effect. In 1935, a large and unique Sikhote-Alin State Reserve was organized in the Primorsky Territory. Somewhat later - Lazovsky and Ussuri reserves. Since 1947, tiger hunting has been strictly prohibited. Even the capture of tiger cubs for zoos was allowed on a single basis, with special permits. These measures were timely. Already in 1957, the number of the Amur tiger almost doubled in comparison with the thirties, and by the beginning of the sixties it had exceeded a hundred. The Amur tiger is protected by the state - it is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, hunting and trapping of the tiger is prohibited. Since 1998, the federal target program “Conservation of the Amur tiger” approved by the Government of the Russian Federation has been implemented.
Of the eight subspecies ( Panthera tigris), traditionally distinguished on the basis of geographical distribution, three Balinese (P.t. balica), Javanese (P.t. sondaica) and Caspian (P.t.virgata) are now extinct. Moreover, the extinct Caspian (Turanian) tiger is the closest relative of the Amur tiger, with which in the not so distant past they had a continuous range. The territorial feature lies in the name of all currently existing subspecies of the tiger, identified by scientists on the basis of genetic analysis: Northern Indochinese (P.t. corbetti), south chinese(P.t. amoyensis), Malay (P.t. Amoyensi), Sumatran (P.t. sumatrae), Bengal (P.t. tigris), including Amur (P.t. altaica).
Habitat and range of Ussuri tigers
At the end of the XIX century. The area of permanent habitation of the Amur tiger extended to the left bank of the Amur. The northern border of the range stretched from the western foothills of the Lesser Khingan to the mouth of the river. Gorin. Further, descending to the south and skirting the axial part of the northern, partly middle Sikhote-Alin, the border went to the sea. Subsequently, the range of the tiger began to decrease significantly, mainly in the north, and by 1940 its border had shifted to the basin of the river. Iman. In the same years, the forest-meadow areas of the Khanka lowland, the vicinity of large cities, fell out of the range. Since the beginning of the 1950s, as a result of the protection measures taken, the area of tiger habitat has begun to expand noticeably.
The main range of the Amur tiger is the south of the Russian Far East. Now Russian tigers inhabit almost the entire forest part of the habitats suitable for them in Primorsky and the southern part of the Khabarovsk Territory. Along the western macroslope mountain system Sikhote-Alin, the northern border of its range extends approximately to 50o N, along the eastern - 48o 30 '. The total range of the Amur tiger covers an area of 156,500 km2, of which 123,000 km2 The range of the tiger is divided into three centers: the main population lives in Sikhote-Alin; the remaining two foci are located along the southwestern and northwestern borders with China. Moreover, at present, only the Sikhote-Alin has preserved the only viable population of the Amur tiger in the world.
The Amur tiger is an inhabitant of mountainous regions covered with broad-leaved and cedar-broad-leaved forests. natural conditions tiger habitats in the Sikhote-Alin are exceptionally harsh. In winter, the air temperature in some periods drops to -400 C, and in summer it rises to + 35-370 C. In most of the habitats, the height of snow cover in the second half of winter is usually within 30-60 cm. The degree of adaptation of the predator to difficult environmental conditions, characteristic for the northern limit of the distribution of the species, is quite high. Low winter temperatures do not affect the vital activity of the tiger. He arranges temporary haulouts right on the snow and can stay on them for several hours - this adaptability to frost is unique and is characteristic only for the Amur subspecies of the tiger. For a long rest, they prefer shelters - rocky ledges and niches, voids under fallen trees. When there is a lot of snow, when moving around the site, tigers willingly use wild boar trails, logging roads, hunter trails, and snowmobile tracks. The tiger especially loves forests with slopes, steep and high cliffs, stone niches and caves. Here the predator always finds food, without difficulty with high points they survey their possessions, have plenty of places convenient for a lair, and solitarily raise their striped offspring. The habitats of most tiger groups are located in the basins of the middle and lower reaches of mountain rivers at altitudes of 400-700 m above sea level. Individual tigers visit the highlands rarely and only during snowless or little snow periods.
Biology of tigers
The Amur tiger is the largest of the currently existing subspecies of the tiger. On average, the length of his body with the head is 2 meters, and together with the tail it reaches 3 meters. An adult female Amur tiger weighs about 130 kg, and a male weighs 190 kg. However, males can reach 300-350 kg. The weight of a tiger cub at birth does not exceed 1 kg, at 3 months it is 10 kg. A six-month-old tiger cub pulls 30 kg, and only at 2.5 - 3 years old does its weight begin to exceed 100 kg. The Amur tiger has a paler coloration compared to other subspecies. The main color tone is reddish or buff. Black or brown transverse stripes run throughout the body. In summer, the color is brighter. In winter, the fur of the Amur tiger becomes long and thick. Under natural conditions, tigers live an average of ten to fifteen years, and longer in zoos. The Amur tiger has practically no enemies. Only a very large brown bear can overpower him.
Female Amur tigers reach sexual maturity at the age of 3 years, males about a year later. As a rule, the breeding season falls on the second half of winter, and the appearance of offspring mainly occurs in April-June. After mating, the male leaves the female and does not participate in the upbringing of offspring. A tigress carries cubs for about 100-105 days. Under favorable conditions, females bring offspring at least once every two years, and in the event of the death of cubs - in the year of their loss.
Mortality of young is very high, about 50%. Cases of death of tigers from bears and facts of cannibalism are quite rare, they do not significantly affect the well-being of the species. There are usually 1-4 tiger cubs in a litter, more often 2-3, less often 5-6. Tiger cubs are born blind. They feed on mother's milk from 1.5 to 2 months, they begin to eat meat already at the age of two months, but they suck mother's milk for up to six months. Baby tiger cubs are helpless, but they develop and grow quickly. At the age of two weeks, they begin to see clearly, hear, double their weight in a month, become nimble, inquisitive. They get out of the lair and even try to climb trees. At this age, cubs reach the weight of a large dog and completely switch to meat from now until the end of their days. The mother first brings them fresh food from her hunts, then leads them from one prey to another. Two-year-old tiger cubs weigh up to one hundred kilograms and begin to hunt on their own under the guidance of their mother. The tigress patiently and thoroughly seeks to pass on to her heirs all her experience, all worldly wisdom. She will let her children go to independent living in complex world fully formed and well prepared. The tigress has many worries, and she copes with them alone. The tiger does not take any part in the upbringing of his children, although he often lives next to them. The tiger family breaks up when the young are two years old. In the fourth year of life, they become independent.
The female arranges a lair for her cubs in hard-to-reach, and therefore in the safest places: dense thickets, caves, rock crevices. Adult males, as a rule, do not have a permanent den and usually rest close to their prey. Young females leave their mother's territory at the age of 1.5 to 3 years, depending on whether the female has a new offspring or not. Tigresses are more likely to stay close to their mother's territory than tigers. In the wild, a complete change of generations occurs in 15-20 years, if not in a shorter period.
Each tiger has its own individual habitat, which it bypasses regularly. The area of such a site is different and depends on the number of ungulates. The smallest area (10-30 sq. km) is occupied by females with cubs under the age of one year. On average, the range of an adult male is 600-800 km2, and the range of an adult female is 300-500 km2. The tiger is a polygamous animal; the territories of several females are usually located on the territory of one male. On the border of the areas of adult tigers, young animals are kept, starting an independent life.
The daily movements of tigers are different and depend on whether the animal makes a transition through the habitat, hunts successfully or unsuccessfully, searches for prey or eats it. Average daily course an adult male tiger is 9.6 km, the maximum is 41 km. For tigresses, the average movement per day is 7 km, the maximum is 22 km. Tigers are very conservative. They often use the same trails, return to their prey, and regularly appear in places where they have met before. Both males and females mark bushes and trees in their territory with a mixture of urine and scent gland secretions. In addition, they leave claw marks on trees or excrement in prominent places. The routes of tiger movements in the area are constant and are supported by animals from year to year. Tigers are solitary animals. They, unlike lions, do not recognize a flock of life, they love solitude. Tigers are usually active in the evening, in the first half of the night and early in the morning. During the day, they prefer to lie somewhere on a rock or on the crest of a ridge for better view. The tiger is not afraid of big snows and severe frosts, because of its thick coat and wide paws. In addition, in deep snow it is easier to approach the victim for a sure jump. However big snow lead to the death of ungulates, which greatly undermines the food resources of the tiger.
Most cats really don't like water. But this does not apply to tigers. The tiger loves water very much, it can lie in the water or near it for hours. Tigers swim well big rivers swim across without difficulty.
This predator has large, well-developed fangs (7.5 cm), using which it grabs, kills and dismembers the carcass. Tigers, like other members of the cat family, do not chew, but cut food into pieces with their molars, and then swallow it. Soft pads allow the tiger to sneak up silently, and on the paws of the tiger there are long claws up to 10 cm for capturing prey.
The Amur tiger goes hunting during the day and at night. The basis of food is wild boar and red deer, and in the southwestern regions of Primorye and the Lazovsky Reserve, spotted deer. The tiger is a professional hunter. In hunting, he relies mainly on visual acuity and fine hearing. The sense of smell of the tiger, like all cats, is weak. Tigers hunt alone, using two main methods of hunting: stealing prey, or ambush attack. The predator perfectly hears its prey, determines the direction of its movement and sets up an ambush either in front or hides the prey from the side. At the same time, he takes into account the direction of the wind so that he is not smelled. Predators lie in wait for ungulates on the paths leading to watering places, salt licks, and places for fattening. The pursued animal is overtaken by a predator with several huge swift jumps - this is the fastest way for a tiger to run. In a throw at a short distance, he, like lightning, overcomes a distance of 15 meters in a second. But he cannot run for a long time: he gets tired. That is why the tiger always wants to sneak as close as possible to finish the hunt in a few jumps. The victim, overtaken by him, rarely breaks out.
The tiger eats quite a lot: up to 30 - 40 kilograms at a time. A hungry large animal can eat 50 kilograms of meat. Usually, a deer or a wild boar weighing one and a half centners is enough for him for a week, and a large elk or a bear - for 10 days. After a successful hunt and rest on abundant food, the tiger does not always manage to immediately get another animal, and then he does not eat for several days in a row. The tiger endures even a long hunger strike without consequences for its body, because the layer of fat on its sides and stomach reaches a thickness of five centimeters. For the successful existence of one tiger, about 400-500 red deer, spotted deer, roe deer and wild boars, taken together, are needed. With a lack of these animals in nature, tigers can attack livestock and dogs. But, among Amur tigers, unlike the Indian ones, specialized cannibals are almost never found. The probability of a tragic outcome of a collision between an Amur tiger and a human is hundredths of a percent.
Number and threats to the population
The number of tigers in the south of the Russian Far East in the past can be judged only by indirect data. So at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, 120-150 tigers were hunted here annually. The intensive extermination of these predators, accompanied by the reduction of their habitats under the influence of human economic activity, led to the fact that already at the beginning of this century, the number of tigers began to decline sharply. By the end of the 30s, the Amur tiger was on the verge of extinction - there were only no more than 50 individuals left. The situation began to change for the better only after the protection measures taken - the ban on hunting for tigers (1947) and their catching (1956-60) with its subsequent restriction.
The maximum population density of these animals, according to the results of recent surveys, was noted in the Sikhote-Alin and Lazovsky reserves and adjacent territories (up to 5-7 individuals per 1000 km2), as well as on the western macroslopes of the middle Sikhote-Alin, i.e. in areas least affected by human activities. With a minimum number of tigers inhabit the northern Sikhote-Alin, where the conditions of existence are most difficult, characteristic of the northern limit of the range of the species, as well as the southern developed and densely populated areas of Primorsky Krai (1-2 ind./1000 km2).
The main reasons for the decline in the number of tigers
Habitat degradation: Massive logging and frequent forest fires are leading to increasing destruction of the Amur tiger's range. In the Russian Far East, a full-fledged tiger area of about 30,000 hectares disappears every three years.
Depletion of food resources: at present, there is a significant reduction in the number of red deer, wild boar, roe deer, sika deer, which make up the food base of the predator. The growing imbalance in the number of predator and its main prey is one of the significant negative factors affecting the population size.
Fragmentation of the range: due to anthropogenic impact on the habitat, tiger populations are not a single entity, but dozens of small foci isolated from each other. This leads to a decrease in genetic diversity.
The main limiting factor is poaching, which has become last years commercial nature. Tiger products are sold in most countries of East Asia as a valuable medicinal raw material. Some models predict that if 5% of individuals are killed annually, the population will disappear within 50 years.
The Amur tiger is one of the rarest representatives of the world fauna. As an object of the first category of the threat of extinction, it is included in the Red Books of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Russia, it is included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Species wildlife and endangered flora (CITES).
In the Red Book Russian Federation The Amur tiger has category II as a rare, declining subspecies, which, with further exposure to adverse factors, may fall into the category of endangered.
At the end of the 2007 winter census, it was announced that the Amur tiger population had reached a century high and that the tiger was no longer on the brink of extinction. Now 90% of the total Amur tiger population is concentrated in our country, and that is why Russia is responsible for the conservation of the Amur tiger on a global scale. Although at present there is no direct threat of extinction of the Amur tiger, its future continues to cause concern.
The population of the Amur tiger in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories is 340-420 adults and about 100 cubs. As of February 20, 2007, 450 individuals were kept in zoos around the world (844 individuals as of January 1, 1979).
Since the typical habitat of the Amur tiger is mixed forests of the Manchurian type (cedar-broad-leaved), covering the slopes of mountains and hills, preserving coniferous-broad-leaved forests with all their inhabitants, we also save the Amur tiger, since it is impossible to save the species located at the top of the food pyramid , without taking any measures to save its habitat and the animals that make up its food supply. Tiger protection activities also include organizing and facilitating the work of anti-poaching brigades, creating and maintaining protected areas, fighting forest fires and illegal logging, educational programs with the local population, border guards, children.
Compiled by: Ph.D. Petr Sharov and Olga Kuzminova, photo: Petr Sharov
RULES OF PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR AND KEEPING OF PETS IN TIGER HABITAT IN PRIMORSKY KRAI
The Amur tiger is the most big cat on Earth - it has been preserved almost exclusively in Russia in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories. The Amur tiger is protected by the state - it is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, hunting and trapping of the tiger is prohibited. Since 1998, the federal target program "Conservation of the Amur tiger" approved by the Government of the Russian Federation has been implemented. The Amur tiger is an ornament of the Far Eastern taiga and the pride of Russians. At the same time, the Amur tiger is strong and dangerous predator, proximity to it requires caution and certain rules behavior. It must be remembered that in the overwhelming majority of cases, conflict situations are created by the person himself, often due to ignorance or non-compliance with the rules of behavior in places where the tiger lives. The tiger is one of the most perfect predators on earth. He approaches his prey unnoticed and kills it after a lightning throw. Therefore, if a tiger came into your field of vision, then he most likely is not going to attack you, and correct behavior help avoid conflict. Endurance and self-control are the main components of human behavior when meeting a tiger. The purpose of these Rules is to ensure the safety of people in the forest, to minimize the likelihood of conflict situations, which will significantly increase the possibility of "peaceful coexistence" of tigers and people. SITUATIONS WHICH ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO ENCOUNTER WITH A TIGER
1. Tigress with kittens. A serious danger is the situation when a person suddenly appears at the den with newborns. As a rule, the beast emits a warning roar. In this case, without panic, turn back and go around dangerous place side not less than half a kilometer. The critical distance that prompts the female to attack is about 100 m. When meeting with cubs in the absence of the female, it is strictly forbidden to catch them. The female can leave offspring without supervision for a long time, and maturing kittens often take independent walks. Due to lack of experience, tiger cubs are not distinguished by caution, and this is the reason for their encounters with people, especially on the roads that animals willingly use. But even a small tiger cub is able to stand up for itself and can inflict mortal wounds. In addition, a female may be nearby, whose behavior in such a situation is unpredictable. The beast can rush to the defense, not paying attention to people and vehicles. In case of repeated encounters with tiger cubs on the roads, it is necessary to report this to the State Committee for Environmental Protection of the Primorsky Territory or the rai (mountain) committees for environmental protection.
2. Tiger and dog. The tiger has an inexplicable penchant for domestic dogs. He can accompany a person with a dog for hours and at the same time neither the owner nor the dog detects the presence of the beast. The tiger chooses the moment when the dog moves away from the owner. She disappears, as a rule, without a trace and silently - the tiger kills her instantly. Often the tracking of the dog stretches for several days, the tiger accompanies the man to his forest dwelling. In this case, not only the dog is doomed, but the person is also in serious danger. Sometimes the first jump of the tiger on the dog is unsuccessful and the dog rushes under the protection of the owner. An excited predator is no longer able to stop, he, as a rule, does not pay attention to a person, and the tragedy occurs literally under the feet of the owner. The tiger who took the dog usually leaves the person alone. In no case should you follow its trail - the dog can no longer be helped, but you can provoke a predator to protect its prey. Sometimes the dog manages to detect the pursuer: it becomes lethargic, clings to the owner's legs, whines, shudders at every rustle. In such a situation, it is recommended to make several shots in the air, launch a signal light rocket, and in the absence of a weapon, knock on the pot, tree trunk and noisily leave the dangerous place without succumbing to panic.
3. Tiger at prey. If the prey belongs to the hunter, then, having found tiger tracks, you need to announce your presence with a noise characteristic of a person - a shot, the sound of metal, a loud conversation, tapping on trees. Under normal conditions, the tiger does not touch the animal taken by the hunter. Moreover, a normal, healthy predator also abandons its prey when it finds traces of a person next to it. Warned by the noise, the beast will leave, but with a sudden appearance, the beast can rush towards the person. You should not approach the prey of a tiger. Excessive curiosity can lead to tragic consequences for another reason: a bear can eat the remains of prey, which at such moments is extremely aggressive. A dangerous situation is when a tiger and a hunter hide the same prey. A predator in a state of excitement is able to rush at a competitor, but is usually limited to a warning roar after the deer or wild boars have discovered the pursuers and left. Sometimes he makes demonstrative throws towards the hunter, provoking a shot, and here the hunter is required to display composure.
4. Injured or hungry tiger. A maimed tiger loses its ability to successfully hunt. But not only an injured or old animal can starve. In nature, conditions are often unfavorable for tiger hunting. The feeling of hunger prompts him to go out to settlements, visit garbage heaps, eat carrion, attack livestock and dogs. Unusual behavior of the animal becomes noticeable and this should be immediately reported to environmental organizations. The appearance of such a predator poses a serious threat, being near it in the grounds is possible only in cases of emergency and by experienced and well-armed people. Blood on tracks or lying down, an unusually small step are the first signs that should be alarming. In such cases, it is not recommended to make transitions alone, but it is necessary to have protective equipment with you. The best way- leave the dangerous territory until the situation is clarified. The sharp decline in the number of ungulates also increases the danger of tiger attacks. Such phenomena must be monitored by specially authorized bodies, warn the local population in a timely manner and limit visits to the lands alone. Short-term (up to a crescent) unfavorable conditions do not cause negative changes in the behavior of the tiger - he eats up the remains of past meals, is content with random prey.
5. Tiger in a trap. In recent years, poachers have used slings and foot traps to capture tigers. An animal caught in them can pose a mortal danger to an approaching person. Then he hides and briefly makes a desperate dash towards the "offender". If the cable breaks, then the rescue of the curious is unlikely. In this case, people suffer, as a rule, not involved in poaching. Freed from the trap, the injured beast becomes extremely dangerous.
6. Tiger on the road. The tiger may be on the road during the transition or out of curiosity. For motorists, it does not pose a danger if you do not stop and do not get out of the car. Motorcyclists should not approach the animal at a dangerous distance. It is necessary to quickly decide on the spot: continue at speed or turn around. The cyclist needs to dismount and, without fuss, without turning his back on the tiger, talking loudly to him, leave the meeting place.
7. Threatening behavior of a tiger. The appearance of a tiger in plain sight serves as a warning. Usually the animal behaves secretly. He studies people by smells, sounds, examines them from shelters, getting all the information he needs about us. Deviation from this norm of behavior should be alarming - the beast is potentially dangerous, precautions must be taken. By its appearance, a tiger can warn of nearby cubs or prey. But there may be another reason - the beast regards a person as an undesirable competitor. The demonstrative appearance of a tiger means that he is not going to hunt a person, but warns who is the boss here. Therefore, you should leave the dangerous area and in no case shoot at the tiger. The demonstrative behavior also includes the roar of the tiger, which he publishes, moving parallel to the person. This is most often seen at night. There is no direct threat of attack in this, but a powerful roar causes great stress. Such predators should be scared away, confirming the strength and leadership of a person. To do this, you need to shout, make noise, shoot upwards and without fuss and panic, in no case running away, leave a dangerous place.
TIGER BEHAVIOR IN ATTACK
With a face-to-face meeting unexpected for both sides, even an exhausted beast does not immediately make a decision. In such a situation, a person has time to assess the situation. More often, the tiger freezes for a while, tenses up, emits a threatening roar, and can make a false throw. If the animal is tense, the ears are tightly pressed, the hair on the head and neck is raised, the tail wriggles nervously - the situation is extremely dangerous and you need to act instantly. In cases where the animal pursues or when it has nowhere to retreat, the tiger is forced to defend itself and may attack. It usually knocks the person down, can bite the hand if the victim resists, and usually leaves. The tiger rarely sees prey in a person, so an attack attempt should not be confused with its demonstration. False throws in the direction of a person are of a warning nature and, paradoxically, most tragedies happen to people who have weapons in their hands. A hasty shot at an animal can only provoke it to attack, especially if it is wounded.
ATTACK PREVENTION
1. Before visiting the area where tigers live, it is necessary to collect information about the behavior of tigers. If there are cases of disappearance of dogs, attacks on livestock, visual sightings of a tiger are not uncommon, it is better to abandon your intention, or accept everything. necessary measures precautions.
2. In the overwhelming majority of cases, tiger attacks on humans and domestic animals are provoked by a lack of food resources. Therefore, in each tiger habitat, the issue of opening hunts for ungulates can only be resolved if there is a scientifically substantiated number of animals that are prey to the tiger. General ungulate shooting different types should not exceed 50-70% of the removal rate established without the “correction” for the tiger.
3. It is necessary to monitor the sanitary condition of the surroundings of settlements, camps, bases, hunting huts, etc., to prevent garbage dumps and garbage dumps that attract predators. At hunting huts, it is strictly forbidden to scatter the carcasses of skinned fur-bearing animals.
4. In the habitats of the tiger, the use of hunting dogs is highly undesirable. Dogs not only inevitably die themselves, but also attract the tiger to humans. To the huts where there are no dogs, the tiger approaches extremely rarely. Loose keeping of dogs is prohibited at hunting huts, apiaries, dachas, summer camps livestock.
5. It is forbidden to approach the prey of a tiger even in the absence of fresh traces, and even more so to take it.
6. Tourists, pickers of mushrooms and berries are recommended to walk in groups of at least three people in tiger habitats. When meeting tiger tracks, you should create noise - talk loudly, call to each other. The metal sound of a bowler hat, bucket scares off a predator.
7. The use of horses is undesirable. If they are present, they should not be left unattended. Often, horses attract not only a tiger, but also a bear to the parking lot.
8. Expedition staff must have tiger-repelling protective equipment. The most effective light and sound signal rockets. We also recommend flares, gas pistols, spray cans with a repellent composition. They should always be at hand and ready for instant use.
10. Having met fresh tracks of a tiger, it is necessary to take precautionary measures, to be extremely attentive. Hiding, sneaking step can mislead the predator and cause him unnecessary interest. Conversely, the noise characteristic of a person will warn him.
11. If a meeting with a tiger could not be avoided, it is recommended:
Try to drive it away with noise: knocking on metal, trees, shooting into the air, launching flares, and at a short distance - with a flare. Large predators are well versed in the intonation of the sounds they make, and the hysterical cry of a person with notes of animal fear (this is how dying victims scream) will not frighten a tiger, so you should speak calmly, confidently;
If the tiger is excited, makes attempts to approach or leaves, but returns, this is a warning of a serious danger, and, if space and time permit, it is recommended to climb a tree. However, you should only climb a tree if you are sure that you can do it (there have been cases when a tiger pulled a person climbing a tree down). The tiger may go into a long siege, but this is not the worst way out. If possible, you can try to drive away the beast with a lit rag or other improvised means.
If there are no suitable trees, and a predator is approaching, you should not lose your temper, panic in this case is a bad ally. Repeated investigations of such situations show that if the person himself does not “turn on” the predator with fuss and hysteria, retreats without sudden movements, backing away and not showing the back of his head, while calmly explaining to the beast the “dishonesty” of his actions - the predator, after a short escort, leaves the person in rest. As you retreat, it is useful to leave a backpack, hat, jacket or other equipment - this distracts the animal and relieves its excitement. In no case should you run away and turn your back on the tiger!
ATTACK DEFENSE TECHNIQUES
If the attack is provoked and the tiger does not intend to devour the knocked down person, the conflict usually ends with varying degrees of injury. It is not possible to recommend the optimal protection option that guarantees complete health. But life can be saved even in the most critical situations.
1. A tiger attacking at high speed with all signs of aggression can only be stopped by a shot to kill. You need to hit in the forehead, in the mouth, on the jump - in the neck in order to immobilize the beast with the first bullet. Therefore, you should shoot shortly - no further than 10 m, but in this case there is no time left for the second shot. Under no circumstances should you chase a wounded tiger. As experience shows - chasing a wounded tiger, especially alone, you almost one hundred percent secure a life-long disability or instant death. When deciding on the use of weapons, it should be remembered that the tiger is under the protection of the law, and only the proven need for self-defense will allow in the future to avoid punishment for the destruction of a rare animal.
2. If a tiger knocked a man down and did not kill him in the first moment, there is a chance to stay alive. It is recommended to lie down and take no action. Resistance with bare hands is useless - it will only lead to unnecessary injuries. Usually in such a situation, those who lay without movement, hysterical cries and fuss survived. The excited beast gradually calms down and leaves the victim alone.
3. If a predator continues to torment a person, a pistol shot or a knife blow is possible. The bullet must hit the spine or head to paralyze the beast. From a gas pistol you need to shoot into an open mouth or eyes. A knife strike can be effective if the length of its blade is not less than 18-20 cm, and it is necessary to hit under the shoulder blade or in the sternum area. The end of the blade should be slightly rounded so that it can slip into the intercostal space and not get stuck in the bone.
1. Free grazing of livestock is not allowed. Grazing should take place only in daylight hours days and only accompanied by a shepherd, who must have personal protective equipment and repel predators. At night, cattle should take shelter in secure yards.
2. Farms and pigsties located in forest villages or on the outskirts of villages must be fenced with a net or fence of at least 2.5 m. The fence must reliably protect animals from the penetration of a tiger or a bear. Particular attention should be paid to the summer camps of livestock - they must be securely fenced and guarded at night. It is highly advisable to use methods to scare away tigers.
3. All corpses of dead animals are subject to disposal by incineration.
5. At hunting huts, in summer cattle camps, in apiaries, dachas and other similar places, domestic dogs must be leashed without fail. In this case, the dogs must be protected from possible tiger attacks. To this end, shelters should be made for the dogs, for example, narrow manholes under the house, barn, etc., which will be inaccessible to the tiger.
6. Being in the grounds outside the hunting season, as well as in the absence of a license or permit, the hunter must keep the dog on a leash.
TIGER SCARING METHODS
Tigers are afraid of noise and sound effects. Therefore, when meeting with a tiger, you should make as much noise as possible. It must be remembered that a shot upwards will scare away the animal faster than a shot to kill, after which the wounded animal becomes deadly. The most effective and affordable method of scaring away is the use of signal pyrotechnics. These include signal light and sound flares, as well as flares, for the purchase of which no special permits are required. The rocket should not be fired straight up, but over the tiger. For greater efficiency, it is better to use several missiles at the same time. When working with rockets, it is necessary to observe safety measures, including fire prevention. After the rocket is launched and the tiger leaves, make sure that there is no fire at the place where the rocket hit. To scare away tigers from housing and farms, it is recommended to make fires around them at night, burn car tires, and launch signal rockets. The launch is especially effective if the rocket is tied over a hollow metal container in such a way that its rear end is half lowered into this container. The rocket cover is unscrewed and a rope is tied to the ring of the trigger cord, which is pulled into the shelter where the person is located. The noise from the launch of such a rocket will scare away the tiger for a long time.
All cases of attacks on humans and livestock should be immediately reported to the environmental authorities, who are obliged to warn the local population and conduct an investigation. If it is established that the tiger was dangerous, it is subject to removal, which is carried out by authorized specialists with the permission of the State Committee for Ecology of Russia.
You should always remember that when meeting with a tiger it is NOT possible to: panic and fuss, run away, turn your back on the tiger, shoot the tiger.
Authors: Yu.M. Yu.N.Smirnov (Sikhote-Alin Reserve), G.Salkina (Lazovsky Reserve), I.G.Nikolaev, Ph.D. V.G.Yudin (Institute of Biology and Soil Science, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences) Editor – Ph.D. GV Kolonin (State Committee of the Russian Federation for Environmental Protection) Reviewer – Ph.D. V.V. Gaponov (Primorsky Territory Administration), photo: P. O. Sharova
The Amur tiger (Ussuri or Far East) is the largest tiger in the world. And the only one of the tigers that has mastered life in the snow. The Amur tiger is one of the smallest subspecies of the tiger. Listed in the Red Book. Description According to modern data, the Amur tiger belongs to the largest subspecies, the coat is thicker than that of tigers living in warm regions, and its color is lighter. Basic coat color winter time- orange, belly white. This is the only tiger that has a five-centimeter layer of fat on its belly, which protects it from freezing winds at extremely low temperatures. The body is elongated, flexible, the head is rounded, the paws are not long, the tail is long. The ears are very short, as it lives in a cold area. The Amur tiger distinguishes colors. At night, he sees five times better than a human. The body length of males of the Amur tiger to the tip of the tail reaches 2.7-3.8 m, females are smaller. Height at the withers up to 115 cm, weight 160-270 kg. The largest weight of male Amur tigers living in the wild does not exceed 250 kg. A normal adult male tiger weighs on average 180-200 kg with a height at the withers of 90-106 cm. The tiger is a vulnerable animal, despite its large size and great physical strength. It can drag a horse carcass on the ground for more than 500 m. On snow, it can reach speeds of up to 50 km / h.
