Siberian tiger attacks dog then kills pet’s owner who followed its tracks, Russian officials say

A person whose canine was attacked and dragged away by a Siberian tiger adopted the predator’s tracks to search out his pet — solely to be attacked and killed by the tiger in a forest in japanese Russia, officers mentioned Monday. The physique of the person, who was not recognized, was discovered with indicators of an animal assault within the distant Khabarovsk territory, regional police mentioned.

In response to the Amur Tiger Middle, the large cat attacked a canine owned by a resident of the village of Obor, prompting the proprietor to trace the animal “for a substantial distance.” Ultimately, the pet’s proprietor got here throughout the predator close to its prey within the forest.

“Presumably, the animal regarded this as a risk” and fatally attacked the person, the middle mentioned. The person was discovered useless close to the stays of his canine, officers mentioned.

Police and specialists from the native searching division responded to the scene to analyze the circumstances of the assault. Relying on the result of the investigation, authorities will determine whether or not to take away the tiger from the wild, police mentioned.

“We specific our honest condolences to the family and associates of the deceased,” the tiger middle mentioned in a press release.

Authorities in Khabarovsk have reported virtually 300 incidents of tigers wandering into populated areas in 2023, and infrequently the large cats have killed canine and attacked individuals, the Moscow Occasions reported. Earlier this yr, residents within the area requested Russian President Vladimir Putin to assist present higher safety from the endangered tigers, the newspaper reported. 

In response to the Amur Tiger Middle, Siberian tigers are the “largest dwelling cat on the planet.” Males weigh 400-700 kilos and are 9-12 ft lengthy, together with their tail, based on the Denver Zoo. Fewer than 500 Siberian tigers stay within the wild though there are a number of hundred in captivity.