Siberian Tiger Fatality: Ranger Killed in Rare Encounter in Russias Far East

An endangered Siberian tiger fatally attacked a park ranger in the Primorye region of Far East Russia, officials reported on Wednesday.

This incident marks at least the third deadly tiger attack in the area this winter, according to the environmental news outlet Kedr.

Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of Primorye region, previously noted that encounters between tigers and humans have become more frequent in recent years. This increase is attributed to conservation initiatives that have led to a rise in the Siberian tiger population, while the African swine fever epidemic has drastically reduced the number of wild boars, one of the tiger’s main food sources.

Kozhemyako pointed out that it is often weakened or ill Siberian tigers, also referred to as Amur tigers, that pose a risk to humans.

On Tuesday, the 55-year-old ranger and his assistant were deep in the forest, away from populated areas, when the tiger “sneaked up and attacked one of them from behind,” according to a statement from the Primorye region’s Natural Resources Ministry.

Wildlife officials are actively working to locate the tiger utilizing “special tools,” as indicated by the ministry’s statement.

The victim was identified as Andrei Kovera, who served as a deputy in the local village council until 2023, as reported by a council member to the state-operated news agency RIA Novosti. It appears that the assistant managed to escape the attack.

The Udegeyskaya Legenda National Park, situated near the site of the incident, announced on Wednesday that it would temporarily stop issuing visitor licenses due to the presence of an “aggressive” Amur tiger.

Media outlets with alleged connections to Russia’s security services disseminated videos and images of the ranger’s severely injured body, claiming that the tiger had dismembered the man’s arm during the attack.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has long advocated for the protection of this endangered species, establishing a conservation foundation in 2013.

In January, Governor Kozhemyako stated that the Siberian tiger population had grown to 560 this year, an increase from 310 in 2015.

Last month, residents of Primorye, including soldiers engaged in the conflict in Ukraine, reached out to Putin urging him to take action to safeguard them from tiger encounters.