A camera trap set up in the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve has captured images of a new tigress.

The adult tigress, who was first photographed in November 2013, lives in an area formerly inhabited by another tigress named Varvara, the mother of three cubs.

“Two years ago, the local tiger population was very small, and Varvara controlled a territory with an area of 800 square kilometres, or two times more than the usual habitat of a female Amur tiger. When Varvara gave birth to the cubs, her movement was confined to a small territory because it is not so easy to feed the babies and to look after such a huge ‘home.’ Obviously, her long absence did not go unnoticed, and now a new tigress has shown up,” employees of the nature reserve said.

Varvara reacted adequately to her new neighbour and started actively marking the boundary between their territories, indicating that her own section was off limits to the intruder.

Experts note that the new tigress is a real photo model who is not afraid of the cameras and bright flashes. Therefore, many images of the tigress, including close-ups, have been taken to date.

“Murzik, the father of Varvara’s cubs, quickly noticed the new lady. In November and December, he was photographed regularly by the same cameras which had taken pictures of the new arrival. Such is life: Several females, or ‘wives,’ live on the territory of each male tiger,” experts said.