Kazakhstan to get tigers in the wilds again

[Palinurus]

Source: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2017/09/tiger-tiger-burning-bright-in-the-forests-of-kazakhstan/

September 8, 2017

The Dutch office of the World Wildlife Fund and Kazakh government are planning to release 25 to 30 Siberian tigers into the wilds where tigers once roamed.

They will be transferred from the far east of Russia to an area the size of Gelderland [over 5000 km²], the body said in a press release (in Dutch). Its plan to repopulate an area where the extinct Caspian tiger once lived was announced at the Holland Pavilion at the World Expo in Kazakhstan on Friday.

Marco Lambertini, Director General of the WWF, said reintroducing the animal was an “important step in securing the future of tigers in the wild” as well as protecting the natural environment in the Ili-Balkhash region.

But before tigers are introduced to an area which has not seen the animals since 1948, bird and potential prey populations need to be restored, and rangers need to be trained to protect the wild animals.

 

[Lilou]

The Guardian also carried a piece about this. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/08/kazakhstan-to-reintroduce-wild-tigers-after-70-year-absence

I'm always a bit leery about predators being reintroduced! It seems it will take until 2025 before the "ground is prepared" with food for them to eat (deer, moose, wild boar). These cats historically, in the wild, were huge!! Roughly 475 pounds/215 kilos for males, and 303 pounds/137 kilos for females. Big enough to take down a bear! Most of the Siberian tigers end up in captivity after they've had encounters with people! In captivity their weight is roughly 90 pounds less, but still huge! Not sure what would be worse to come across - wild boar or a hungry Siberian tiger!

A few years ago, the government was reintroducing rattle snakes in NE Indiana. My friend was going nuts, as her farm was adjacent to the plot of land to house the snakes. She ended up moving, and the snakes were part of her decision. I'm not a fan of snakes, and certainly not rattlers! Not sure messing with nature and habitat is a good thing, or goes as planned. :/

 

[Ruth]

I'm always a bit leery about predators being reintroduced! It seems it will take until 2025 before the "ground is prepared" with food for them to eat (deer, moose, wild boar). These cats historically, in the wild, were huge!! Roughly 475 pounds/215 kilos for males, and 303 pounds/137 kilos for females. Big enough to take down a bear! Most of the Siberian tigers end up in captivity after they've had encounters with people! In captivity their weight is roughly 90 pounds less, but still huge! Not sure what would be worse to come across - wild boar or a hungry Siberian tiger!

I think you are right to be concerned. It gets to be quite a problem when they come into direct competition with humans. All large predators, that is. They need to be very careful when changing the environment anyway. We've seen what foxes, rabbits and cane toads have done to Australia. Probably worse environmental impact because they do not prey on humans.