Panthera Tigris Altaica Research Articles

Behavioral-psychological motivations encoded in the vocal repertoire of captive Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) cubs

BackgroundThe Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is the largest and one of the most endangered cats in the world. In wild and captive cats, communication is mainly dependent on olfaction. However, vocal communication also plays a key role between mother and cubs during the breeding period. How cubs express their physiological and psychological needs to their mother and companions by using acoustic signals is little known and mainly hindered by the difficult process of data collection. Here, we quantitatively summarized the vocal repertoire and behavioral contexts of captive Amur tiger cubs. The aim of the present work was to investigate the behavioral motivations of cub calls by considering influential factors of age, sex, and rearing experiences.ResultsThe 5335 high-quality calls from 65 tiger cubs were classified into nine call types (Ar-1, Ar-2, Er, eee, Chuff, Growl, Hiss, Haer, and Roar) produced in seven behavioral contexts. Except for Er, eight of the nine call types were context-specific, related to Play (Ar-2, eee, and Roar), Isolation (Ar-1), Offensive Context (Haer, Growl, and Hiss), and a friendly context (Chuff).ConclusionsThe results suggest that cubs are not quiet, but instead they express rich information by emitting various call types, which are probably crucial for survival in the wild. We herein provide the first detailed spectrogram classification to indicate vocal repertoires of calls and their coding with respect to behavioral contexts in Amur tiger cubs, and we pave the steps for revealing their social communication system, which can be applied for conservation of populations. These insights can help tiger managers or keepers to improve the rearing conditions by understanding the feline cubs’ inner status and needs by monitoring their vocal information expressions and exchanges.

Panthera tigris altaica (Carnivora, Felidae) in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve and in the adjacent non-protected area (Far East of Russia)

To assess the state of the Panthera tigris altaica (hereinafter – tiger) population, its annual monitoring is being carried out on 16 sites within its range, as this subspecies is still considered threatened. These sites include state nature reserves and adjacent territories, which differ in their protection status. In this paper, a number of tiger individuals in groups and reproduction have been compared on these sites to identify factors that determine these parameters. The tiger population in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve (area of 1210 km2) was compared with the tiger population in an unprotected area (area of 988 km2), which, similarly to the Protected Area, is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan. A description and comparison of these two sites is given. The study has been carried out in 1997–2021 in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve, and in 1997–2012 in the unprotected site «Lazovsky District». During the winter, information was collected about tiger tracks in the study area, and data on predator tracks were collected out on stationary routes during two field counts. In the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve, the density of routes in various years was 1.0–1.5 km per 10 km2, 1.2 km per 10 km2 in the site «Lazovsky District». Tiger individuals were identified by the width of paw prints. Tracks differed by more than 2 cm were considered belonging to different individuals. Indicators of the tiger population was about twice higher in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve than in the unprotected site «Lazovsky District». In 1997–2012, in both Lazovsky State Nature Reserve and unprotected site «Lazovsky District», the population density of both adult and subadult tigers was respectively 8.6 ± 0.7 individuals per 1000 km2 and 5.3 ± 0.5 individuals per 1000 km2, while this parameter was respectively 3.1 ± 1.0 individuals per 1000 km2 and 1.7 ± 0.04 individuals per 1000 km2 for tiger cubs younger than a year. The tiger track density in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve was 3.03 ± 0.51 tracks per 100 km, taking into account the time passed after the snowfalls covering all tracks; on the site «Lazovsky District», this indicator was 1.33 ± 0.27 tracks per 100 km. In 1997–2012, the population density of adults and subadults was significantly (F = 59.40, p < 0.001) higher in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve than on the site «Lazovsky District». The population density of tiger cubs (F = 6.30, p < 0.018) and the track density (F = 4.86, p < 0.036) were also significantly higher in the Protected Area than in the unprotected one. The survival rate of tiger cubs was also higher in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve. Here, the proportion of tiger litters with one cub was 16% (n = 4), with two cubs 48% (n = 12), with three 32% (n = 8), and with four 4% (n = 1) of the total number. On the unprotected site «Lazovsky District», the proportion of litters with one cub was 53% (n = 8), with two 27% (n = 4), and with three 20% (n = 3) of the total number. A downward trend in the population density of tiger cubs was found on the site «Lazovsky District». In 2012–2021 in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve, the average population density was 8.9 ± 1.8 individuals per 1000 km2 for adult and subadult tigers, and 4.3 ± 1.1 individuals per 1000 km2 for tiger cubs, while the average tiger track density was 2.39 ± 0.68 tracks per 100 km. During this period, the population density of tiger cubs decreased in the Protected Area, and there was also a tendency towards a decrease in the relative number of adults and subadults. The regular three-year cycle in the dynamics of the tiger track density in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve indicates that environmental factors predominantly influence tiger groups here. No regular cycle was observed on the unprotected site «Lazovsky District». This finding and the lower number of tiger individuals in this area are associated with the negative impact of related anthropogenic factors, namely poaching, hunting, and logging. Recreational pressure also affects the tiger groups. In the last decade, the tiger group in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve has been exposed to anthropogenic factors from the adjacent area. It is concluded that the further protection of the tiger and the increase in its number is possible if Protected Areas of various statuses are established, if extensive buffer zones are created around new and existing Protected Areas, if hunting is prohibited and logging is limited. The use of agricultural lands for other purposes around Protected Areas should be forbidden.

Sea fog increases the total mercury level in the terrestrial ecosystem (on the example of the tiger Panthera tigris altaica Temminck, 1844)

Abstract. This study discusses one of the aspects of the mercury problem, which is the relationship between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. We indicate that the mercury concentration in the Amur tiger fur (Panthera tigris altaica) is higher in the coastal area than in the inland area because the coastal areas are exposed to the impact of marine atmospheric fog, a potential source of monomethylmercury. The total mercury concentration from the Khasansky District varied from 0.16 to 0.45 mg/kg, on average 0.22 0.04 mg/kg, in tiger fur, from 0.07 to 1.01 mg/kg, on average 0.64 0.05 mg/kg, in leopard fur (P. pardus orientalis) and from 0.055 to 1.233 mg/kg, on average 0.336 0.056 mg/kg, in Himalayan bear fur (Ursus thibetanus). The total mercury concentration in the fur of the last predators from the inland areas is unknown. Further research is needed.

Morphological features of excretory organs in the Amur tiger in prenatal development

Morphological features of excretory organs in the Amur tiger in prenatal development

Siberian Tiger Optimization: A New Bio-Inspired Metaheuristic Algorithm for Solving Engineering Optimization Problems

In this article, a new metaheuristic algorithm called Siberian Tiger Optimization (STO) is designed to deal with optimization applications. The fundamental inspiration of STO is the imitation of the natural behavior of the Siberian tiger during hunting and fighting. First, the whole design of STO and its mathematical model’s two phases are explained. Then, the efficiency of the proposed STO approach in optimization tasks is evaluated on sets of various standard benchmark functions from the CEC 2017 test suite. In addition, the CEC 2011 test suite and four engineering design problems are employed to analyze the ability of STO to handle real-world applications. Finally, the quality of the optimization results obtained from the proposed STO approach is compared with the performance of twelve well-known metaheuristic algorithms. The simulation results show that STO, with its high power in exploration and exploitation and creating a balance between them, has provided better results than competitor algorithms and has superior performance in handling optimization applications.

ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ ГЕОИНФОРМАЦИОННЫХ СИСТЕМ ДЛЯ АНАЛИЗА СТАНЦИЙ ОТЛОВА АМУРСКОГО ТИГРА НА ТЕРРИТОРИИ ЗАПОВЕДНИКА «БАСТАК»

In this paper, the authors consider the application of the geographical information system QGIS, which is in the public domain, to track the prey base of the Amur tiger in the Bastak reserve. The most visited sites of the reserve in 2019–2021 by the male named Bastak, the tigress Zolushka and her daughter Tala are marked.

Inbreeding status and implications for Amur tigers

AbstractInbreeding more likely occurs in small, isolated and endangered populations, and may influence the sustainable survival of a population. As the Amur tiger Panthera tigris altaica population in China experienced a severe decline in the 1990s, the recovering population may be prone to inbreeding and its potential impacts on population health. However, the inbreeding status has not been evaluated and relationships with health remain poorly understood in wild animals. Based on the genetic samples collected from the main Amur tiger habitats in China, this study analyzed the population inbreeding level, major histocompatibility complex polymorphism, parasitic infections and gut microbial structures and functions, and then explored the influence of inbreeding on these traits. Our results indicated that more than 50% of individual relationships were in cousin or half sibs, and 22.73% of individuals had moderate or high inbreeding coefficients. There was a significant positive correlation between the inbreeding level of an individual and the Toxocara cati parasitic load. Gut microbiota community structure and function were also impacted by inbreeding intensity. In conclusion, results indicate that the Amur tiger population in China has reached a moderate level of inbreeding and that there are direct interactions between inbreeding intensity and parasitic load and gut microbiota. This study thus provides an early warning on the Amur tiger population health and should prompt the construction of national and international ecological corridors and/or the re‐introduction of new individuals to relieve the evident inbreeding pressure.

Estimation of body weight in captive Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica).

So far, there has been no safe and convenient method to weigh the large fierce animals, like Amur tigers. To address this problem, we built models to predict the body weight of Amur tigers based on the fact that body weight is proportional to body measurements or age. Using the method of body measurements, we extracted the body measurements from 4 different kinds of the lateral body image of tigers, that is, total lateral image, central lateral image, ellipse fitting image, and rectangle fitting image, and then we respectively used artificial neural network (ANN) and power regression model to analyze the predictive relationships between body weight and body measurements. Our results demonstrated that, among all ANN models, the model built with rectangle fitting image had the smallest mean square error. Comparatively, we screened power regression models which had the smallest Akakai information criteria (AIC). In addition, using the method of age, we fitted nonlinear regression models for the relationship between body weight and age and found that, for male tigers, logistic model had the smallest AIC. For female tigers, Gompertz model had the smallest AIC. Consequently, this study could be applied to estimate body weight of captive, or even wild, Amur tigers safely and conveniently, helping to monitor individual health and growth of the Amur tiger populations.

Hematological and Biochemical Reference Values in Healthy Captive Tigers (Panthera tigris).

Simple SummaryThe tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest of the wild cats and is a pivotal member of many ecosystems and cultures. Despite a long history of concern for wild tigers, both their range and total number have collapsed: fewer than 3500 animals now live in the wild. Furthermore, an increased demand for tiger parts and consequent poaching as well as hunting of their prey has decimated populations across Asia, both in and out of reserves. All subspecies of tigers are globally endangered. Given the precarious situation of these wild felid, the health of each individual animal is of utmost importance so thorough health monitoring, including laboratory blood testing and physical evaluation, is vital. In human and veterinary medicine, hematological parameters and blood chemistry analysis are used in the diagnostic process, to establish disease processes and to monitor the progression of disease. Additionally, blood testing in wild animals provides baseline values for future studies and may help to support conservation strategies. It is extremely difficult to obtain biological samples from free-living Panthera tigris, therefore the values obtained from captive tigers provide very useful data. This study reports hematological and serum biochemical data in captive tigers. These results will be useful in the evaluation of physiological and pathological variations in wild and captive tiger populations. Tigers are a conservation-dependent species and require close protection because they are in high demand in the illegal trade. Development of a strong conservation ethic is urgently required for their survival. Pooling of knowledge about this species is essential if it is to be saved.The tiger (Panthera tigris) is an endangered species. The health of individuals is important and any data on hematological and biochemical blood values can provide valuable information; when combined with physical assessment. This data assists in both the diagnosis of disease and some conservation strategies. The behavior of wild tigers makes it is extremely difficult to obtain biological samples from free-living subjects, therefore, data collected from captive tigers is highly valuable. The aim of this study was to provide additional information for the values of hematological and serum biochemical parameters in healthy captive tigers. Blood samples were collected from 22 clinically healthy tigers (Panthera tigris). The following parameters were analyzed: glucose, urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein (TP) and red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct) and red cell indices; such as mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell Hb (MCH), mean cell Hb concentration (MCHC), platelet (PLT) and white blood cells (WBCs). The mean hematological values in our tiger population were not significantly different when compared with the same parameters in the previously studied tiger population. The mean values of RBCs and PLT were statistically significantly higher and the mean values of Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH, MCHC, and WBC were lower than the mean values obtained in previous studies on the Amur tiger. Further investigation of captive and free-living tigers is needed to identify the normal ranges for parameters in this endangered species.

What factors relate with the activity synchronization intensity among big cats and their ungulate prey in Northeast China?

The activity synchronization rhythm is an important aspect of measuring interspecific interactions between predators and prey, and crucial for large carnivores conservation. However, little is known about what factors relate their activity synchronization dynamics. With the climate change and human society development, the spatial-temporal distribution and activity synchronized rhythm of large carnivores and their prey would inevitably be affected, which would further affect the adaptability of large carnivores and bring new challenges to their conservation. In this study, we hypothesized the ambient temperature and human activity would influence the activity synchronization intensity among Amur tiger, Amur leopard and ungulates (roe deer, sika deer and wild boar) through cross-correlation function and temporal niche overlap model based on the camera traps data. The result show that the activity rhythms of the five target species showed species and seasonal differences, the temporal niche overlaps between ungulates were normally higher than that between the cats and prey, the weakest overlap was observed between the two big cat species, and time-lags of similar rhythmic activity can reduce the temporal overlap pressures of species. Furthermore, we found that ambient temperature relate interspecific synchrony of roe deer-sika deer and roe deer-wild boar pairs at the daily scale. And at hourly scale, temperature and human activities exerted significantly positive or negative stresses on the interspecific activity synchronization of all target species, observed in all three seasons. Our study provides new insights on our understanding of the mechanisms by which sympatric predators and ungulate prey coexist and interact in view of temporal niche overlap, as well as how wildlife managers can manage the mammal assembly effectively. As the Amur tiger and leopard populations in China are being recovered quickly, the rapidly increasing predation pressure and limited environmental resources could have profound implications for the interaction and coexistence among these two large carnivores and their ungulate prey. Managers should strengthen the monitoring, and understand its causes and consequences, so as to develop effective protective measures.

Restoration of the Amur Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) Population in the Northwest of Its Distribution Area

Restoration of the Amur Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) Population in the Northwest of Its Distribution Area

Using Keeper Questionnaires to Capture Zoo-Housed Tiger (Panthera tigris) Personality: Considerations for Animal Management

Individual personalities affect animal experiences of zoo environments, impact on an animal’s coping ability and have potential implications for welfare. Keeper assessments have been identified as a quick and reliable way of capturing data on personality in a range of species and have practical application in improving animal welfare on an individual level. Despite widespread recognition of the importance of animal personality within a zoo environment, there is a paucity of research into tiger personality and the potential impact of this on tiger experiences within zoos. This research investigated the personality of 34 tigers (19 Amur and 15 Sumatran) across 14 facilities in the UK using keeper ratings and identified changes keepers made in animal husbandry to support tiger welfare. Reliability across keepers (n = 49) was established for nine adjectives and a principal component analysis identified three personality components: ‘anxious’, ‘quiet’ and ‘sociable’. When subspecies were combined, there was no relationship between tiger scores on the personality components and age or sex of tigers (p > 0.05). Subspecies of tiger was not related to scores on the ‘quiet’ or ‘sociable’ components (p > 0.05). Sumatran tigers scored more highly than Amur tigers on the ‘anxious’ component (mean ± SD, Sumatran: 3.0 ± 1.7, Amur: 1.8 ± 0.6, p < 0.05). Analysis within subspecies found that male Amur tigers were more sociable than females (mean ± SD, males: 5.5 ± 0.707; females: 4.15 ± 0.55). Amur tiger age was also negatively correlated with scores on the sociable personality component (R = −0.742, p < 0.05). No significant differences were seen in Sumatran tigers. Keepers reported a number of changes to husbandry routines based on their perceptions of their tigers’ personality/needs. However, there was no significant relationship between these changes and tiger personality scores (p > 0.05). Despite significant evolutionary differences between Amur and Sumatran tigers, there are no subspecies specific guidelines for zoo tigers. This research has highlighted the potential for these two subspecies to display personality differences and we advocate further research into this area. Specifically, we highlight a need to validate the relationship between tiger personality, management protocols and behavioural and physiological metrics of welfare. This will enable a fuller understanding of the impact of personality on zoo tiger experiences and will enable identification of evidence-based best practice guidelines.

Tapping the Potential of the Molecular Genetic Expert Research of Objects of Animal Origin in the Fight against Their Illegal Trafficking

Currently, the legal framework for protecting natural resources from human assault is being developed at the international level. However, the statistical data on the sentencing of persons convicted on the territory of the Russian Federation under Articles 258 and 258.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in 2020 given in the article indicates: the crimes causing the reduction in the number of animal populations, and as a result, the loss of biodiversity, are challenging to prove; a small number of perpetrators are brought to criminal responsibility; punishment in the form of imprisonment is imposed only in isolated cases. However, using molecular genetic research methods for the biological material of wild animals, it is possible to fill in a significant part of the missing information or obtain new evidentiary information about the circumstances of crimes, including illegal hunting. The application of the DNA barcoding method, developed in the early 2000s, makes it possible to establish the taxonomic affiliation of living organisms when it is impossible to do this by classical methods, for example, if the organism is represented by a micro-number of biological tissues, and is also at the stages of the life cycle (egg, larva, embryo) with an insufficient number of morphological features. Thus, advanced DNA technologies allow us to obtain a considerable amount of previously inaccessible information.The issue of the illegal wild animal trafficking sold as “raised in captivity” is relevant for the pet industry and zoos and has implications both for animal welfare and the preservation of the natural environment. Methods based on the DNA analysis can also be applied for solving problems related to establishing the source of origin of the animal, in some cases – its habitat. The article provides cases from expert practice of ANO “Amur Tiger” when using molecular genetic methods of wild animal analysis allowed solving investigative and judicial tasks.

Cutaneous Amelanotic Signet-Ring Melanoma in a Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)

A 15-year-old male white Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) was evaluated for an elevated, ulcerated, cutaneous mass on the right flank. The mass was removed by excisional biopsy and submitted for histopathology. Based on distinct histological features of intracytoplasmic globular material and positive immunohistochemical staining for Melan-A and vimentin, an amelanotic signet-ring melanoma was diagnosed. While in domestic cats this neoplasm is associated with malignancy and a short survival time, the tiger had no local recurrence or related clinical disease approximately 4 years post surgery. Cutaneous melanocytic tumours are rare in big cats, and the findings in this case suggest that amelanotic signet-ring melanoma is not as malignant as its counterpart in domestic cats.

Zubovich , Katherine Moscow Monumental: Soviet Skyscrapers and Urban Life in Stalin's Capital (review)

SEER, 99, 4, OCTOBER 2021 784 of the Vodlozero National Park in Karelia. Working heroically through the catastrophe of the 1990s, Cherviakov imbued his park with a messianic mission of spiritual renewal for all of humanity. Even though Vodlozero has failed to meet those grandiose goals, the man’s clarity of vision (or illusion) emanates from the text, reminiscent of medieval Russian monks’ transfiguration of Solovki described by Alexei Kraikovskii and Julia Lajus. In another chapter, Mark Sokolsky grapples forthrightly with the fact that the most progressive conservation measures in the Russian Far East were undertaken in conjunction with classist and racist exclusion. Even more troublingly, the Soviet Union’s signalsuccessinconservingtheAmur(Siberian)Tiger,oncethoughthopelessly on the road to extinction, resulted largely from the state’s increasing violence and repression. Similarly, Robert Dale pinpoints Soviet authoritarianism as a signature strength in its reaction to a 1924 Leningrad flood. In one of the book’s photo essays, dealing with the industrial history of the northern Urals, Catherine Evtuhov reports returning to St Petersburg ‘somewhat crumpled […] but thrilled by the intensity of our experiences and encounters’ (p. 183). Readers of Place and Nature will feel a similar thrill and intensity from the sense of material immediacy and unresolved contradiction the book provides, while — hopefully — avoiding the crumpling. Department of History Ryan Tucker Jones University of Oregon Zubovich, Katherine. Moscow Monumental: Soviet Skyscrapers and Urban Life in Stalin’s Capital. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ and Oxford, 2021. xii + 274 pp. Illustrations. Notes. Bibliography. $39.95: £34.00. Moscow Monumental focuses on the plan announced in 1947 to design nine imposing neo-Gothic skyscrapers to be distributed across the Soviet capital like grandiose, ornate charms on a commanding chain — eight buildings intended primarily for residential use by different constituencies, plus the long-delayed Palace of Soviets — and describes the bureaucratic efforts and urban ramifications as seven of the nine buildings were constructed over the course of the ensuing five years. Supported by an array of original material from Moscow archives, the book attends especially to such topics as the interest on the part of Soviet architects and engineers in selected precedents in the United States, the influx of workers into Moscow to carry out the necessary construction labour, the urban displacement the overall process entailed, and Muscovites’ efforts to obtain homes within the new, magisterial structures. Katherine Zubovich builds her story, as it were, from the ground up, exploring REVIEWS 785 the experiences and perspectives of those most immediately engaged in and affected by the planning and construction of these extraordinary edifices. Intended as towering symbols of Stalinist power and achievement and easily the best-known Soviet buildings (at least to those outside the discipline of architecture history), Moscow’s ‘seven sisters’ served from the start as midcentury modern havens for members of the Soviet elite. In 1952, one juicy archival morsel reveals, Lily Brik entreated Lavrentii Beria — without success — for a home for herself and her second husband, the critic Vasilii Katanian, noting:‘Thedoctorsaysthatafifth-floorapartmentwithnoelevatorwillkillme. Comrades who are already living in the tall building on the Kotel´nicheskaya embankment have told me that there are some 3-room apartments there still unoccupied’ (p. 172). The towers’ construction tore Moscow apart and proved equally tumultuous for the city’s inhabitants, many of whom were dislodged to the urban outskirts, as Zubovich details in the four strongest of the book’s eight carefully circumscribed chapters (‘Moscow of the Plan’, ‘Moscow of the Shadows’, ‘The Vysotniki’ and ‘The View from the Top’). While centred on the five-year span from 1947 to the buildings’ completion, Moscow Monumental begins its tale two decades earlier, with an engaging chapter entitled ‘Red Moscow’ structured around seven images from an album of photographs of Moscow published in Berlin in 1928. Questions of architectural representation (visual or discursive) otherwise play little role in the book, which addresses process more than product, although Zubovich tantalizingly notes that the Palace of the Soviets, while never built, nevertheless existed ‘in text and images, not to mention candy wrappers and stationery’ (p. 28). Chapter two, ‘The Palace’, presents the history of the ongoing competitions for the Palace of Soviets from 1931 to 1934 — all overseen...

Habitat suitability for a community of Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) and their prey in Changbaishan.

The Changbaishan reserve and the forests around it are one of the priority areas for Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) recovery in northeastern China. Previous habitat suitability analyses only took the ecological requirements of tigers into consideration, so this study aims to determine habitat suitability for a tiger-prey community in the region, by analysing ungulate prey availability and habitat suitability for both predator and prey. Three prey species were found, using the snow tacking method: red deer (Cervus canadensis xanthopygus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and roe deer (Capreolus pygargus). Habitat suitability was evaluated for tigers, red deer, and wild boar, using a multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) process. MCE results showed that (1) habitat suitability is generally low outside the reserve for all three species; (2) suitability values were the lowest for tigers due to high intensity of human impact in the area, with suitable habitat restricted to the centre of the reserve; and (3) red deer and wild boar would find pockets of suitable habitat outside the reserve. A combination of low forest quality and high human impact intensity imposes significant environmental pressure to those ungulates. To recover tiger population in Changbaishan, forest quality and human impacts should be properly managed, which should increase prey availability.

Congestive heart failures caused by myxomatous mitral valve degeneration in a Siberian tiger

A 19-year-old male Siberian tiger was presented with inappetence and paralysis of hind limbs. In a computed tomography (CT) scan, intervertebral disk disease at L3–L4 was detected. Cardiac arrest occurred during the surgery. At autopsy, myxomatous mitral valve degeneration (MMVD) and eccentric hypertrophy of the left heart were noted. The diagnosis was congestive heart failure caused by MMVD. Microscopically, myocardial and pulmonary fibrosis were observed in addition to the disintegration of the fibrosa layer and accumulation of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans in the spongiosa layer of the mitral valve. This is the first case of congestive heart failure with MMVD in a Siberian tiger.

Spatial conservation prioritization for the Amur tiger in Northeast China

AbstractThe Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is critically endangered and also the subspecies of the tiger with the most restoration potential in China. It is challenging to protect large‐ranging carnivores like tigers under increasing pressure of human development. To provide a more technically robust foundation for tiger habitat conservation prioritization, we conducted a comprehensively empirical analysis based on a broadly collected occurrence dataset of tigers and their prey. We modeled tiger distribution by running an ensemble model integrating nine different algorithms. We found that the ensemble model performed well and outperformed any individual model regarding the discrimination ability. We used cumulative resistant kernel analysis to identify core habitats as with high predicted movement density and used factorial least‐cost paths to model corridors among tiger occurrence locations. We found that core habitats for Amur tigers are distributed in three mountain areas, namely, eastern Wanda Mountain, southern Zhangguangcailing, and Laoyeling‐Dalongling. We found significant protection gaps as existing protected areas only cover less than one‐fourth of predicted core habitats, but this proportion will rise significantly with the establishment of the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park. Furthermore, we ranked spatial priorities for the expansion of the protected area network, simultaneously considering biological and socioeconomic dimensions under the Zonation framework. Our study presented the most up‐to‐date and detailed maps of the predicted potential distribution and area of the most important habitats for the Amur tigers in China, which can provide quantitative guidance in the effort to maximize the efficiency of conservation initiatives at a regional scale.

The development status and evaluation of Hunchun wild Amur tiger reserve and Sino-Russian ecological corridor construction

Jilin Hunchun Wild Amur Tiger Park National Nature Reserve is China's first national-level tiger and leopard nature reserve with the highest number and density of wild Amur tigers and leopards in China. The reserve had become a part of ecological corridor for tigers to freely migrate between China and Russia. China provided a significant protection zone to address the threat of small population of Amur tiger. The solution published in China and effectiveness of the protection zone are discussed in this paper. Even more solutions are planned to be achieved through cooperation between China and Russia.

The Effects of Choice-Based Design and Management on the Behavior and Space Use of Zoo-Housed Amur Tigers (Panthera tigris altaica)

ABSTRACT Choice-based design allows animals in human care opportunities to move at will between multiple interconnected spaces. Some evidence suggests providing environmental choice confers benefits to animals, but there is a dearth of research in this area with large carnivores. To understand the effects of this design strategy on large felids, behavioral and space use data were collected on three Amur tigers housed in a new habitat at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Data were collected in two conditions: 1) restricted to a single habitat, and 2) access to two habitats. With choice, tigers were less frequently inactive (p = 0.003), and locomoted more frequently (p = 0.009). They also showed different preferences in space use with choice, and a strong preference for overhead runways between habitats (E* = 0.83, E* = 0.78). These results add to what is known about environmental impacts on zoo animal behavior and suggest this design and management strategy may be effective in conferring positive welfare benefits to tigers and other large carnivores.