Russia, China launch joint census of tigers migrating across shared border

Russia and China are launching a joint census of Amur tigers migrating across the border within their habitats, Russia’s Justice Minister and Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Amur Tiger Center, Konstantin Chuychenko, told TASS.

“Nature does not recognize state borders, and to preserve tigers and wildlife, countries must act together,” he stated. Specifically, close cooperation has been established with China. “This has enabled our countries to standardize methodologies for counting Amur tigers and Far Eastern leopards, exchange monitoring data, and effectively protect tigers traveling between Russia and China,” Chuychenko explained.

He noted that a key step in cooperation was the creation in 2024 of the cross-border reserve “Land of Big Cats,” which includes Russia’s Land of the Leopard National Park and China’s Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park. The agreement was signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to China in mid-May last year.

Additionally, Chuychenko highlighted that since 2019, the Amur Tiger Center has been a member of the Global Tiger Forum. This year, it joined the International Big Cats Alliance, an organization launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Combining the efforts and expertise of India and Russia, countries with notable success in tiger conservation and habitat preservation, will help restore populations of this rare predator in other parts of its global range through the exchange of experience and best practices,” emphasized Konstantin Chuychenko.