The Amur tiger population will be measured every five years, instead of the current ten, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoi said following a 15 June meeting on the census of Amur tigers conducted in the winter of 2014-2015.

“Tracking the number of tigers every year would be a complicated and costly undertaking. However, we can afford to do it every five years,” Mr Donskoi said. “The results of the count are very important as they help us to continually revise measures to support and protect our striped predator in the areas where tiger populations are sparse.”

Experts have supported the proposal to count Amur tigers across their entire range every five years. In addition, specialists will monitor 20 per cent of the Amur tiger habitat every year.

Mr Donskoi said the Amur tiger population in the Far Eastern Federal District is estimated to be at least 523. 

“The stabilised tiger population shows that our ministry’s strategy has been effective,” he said. “Nonetheless, we’ll be stepping up our efforts to combat poaching, increase the number of ungulates and conserve forests – the tiger’s habitat.”

The coordinated count of Amur tigers and Far Eastern leopards was performed across 150,000 square metres of habitat in February of 2015. Final figures will be released in autumn.