An Amur tiger has been shot dead in Russia’s Pimorsky Region after severely injuring a man.
According to reports on Wednesday, a group of hunters stumbled upon the Amur tiger while on an expedition in one of the region’s hunting farms on November 15. The tiger attacked one of the men, who managed a shot in return, causing fatal wound to the animal. The hunter was hospitalized with multiple injuries. The four- to six year-old male tiger was found the next day by local police and hunting regulators. It is reported that the tiger might have been injured before the incident, and that this could be the reason the animal had been aggressive and attacked the man. Reports say that one of the versions being considered by police and hunting regulators is that the hunters were in fact poachers and were hunting the tiger. Later, the men were interrogated at the local police office. An autopsy and a ballistics expert have been arranged in order to confirm or rule out that possibility. Amur tigers are one of the world’s most endangered species. There are an estimated 300-500 of the animals left in the wild. Their coats have great value on the black market, which makes these animals highly-prized for poachers.