Amur Tiger

Panthera tigris altaica

The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), often called the Siberian tiger, is the northern tiger of the Russian Far East and neighboring parts of northeastern China. It is among the largest living cats, with a long body, heavy limbs, a thick winter coat, and a paler orange background than many tropical tiger populations. Its wild habitat is a cold mosaic of Korean pine, mixed forest, river valleys, and snowy ridges where it hunts deer, wild boar, and other large prey across very large home ranges.

Conservation work for Amur tigers combines anti-poaching patrols, prey recovery, road planning, habitat corridors, and response teams for livestock or village conflicts. In zoos, coordinated studbooks and breeding recommendations help preserve genetic diversity while avoiding surplus cubs with no conservation role. Sanctuaries and licensed facilities must provide double-door security, large complex enclosures, protected keeper access, and whole-carcass or carefully balanced meat diets. Private ownership is restricted in many places and creates serious welfare and safety problems when cats outgrow cub-handling operations.