The tigress Cinderella, transported from the Primorye Territory to the Bastak nature reserve in the Jewish Autonomous Region, has steered clear of villages and populated areas, said Vyacheslav Rozhnov, the leader of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ permanent expedition which studies endangered species of animals listed in the Russian Red Book and other important native fauna. Mr Rozhnov is also head of the Amur Tiger programme at the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution under the Russian Academy of Sciences.

He said that experts from the institute have been daily monitoring the tigress’ movements and have the coordinates of her location.

“At first the predator lived in the Bastak reserve in the Jewish Autonomous Region,” Mr Rozhnov said. “When the tigress got accustomed to it, she started exploring other areas and eventually reached the Khabarovsk Territory. We were concerned that she might get interested in humans, but she never approached any village.”

“The road from Birobidzhan to the village of Kukan in the Khabarovsk Territory, where timber companies are located runs through the reserve. The road is constantly and actively used. At first Cinderella walked along the road, then she tried to approach it but turned back immediately,” Mr Rozhnov said.

He also said that Cinderella got near the road for the second time later, but turned back again. When she came to a road that is almost out of use, she crossed it without any problems. “I hope she will behave the same way in future and stay away from people,” he said.