During the spring inspection of camera traps, researchers discovered new photos of an Amur tiger family ‒ Svetlaya, Borya and their three cubs ‒ in the Jewish Autonomous Region’s Zhuravliny Nature Sanctuary. The pictures show that in the course of this winter, the cubs matured, became independent and are almost always seen without their mother.

Experts from the Centre for the Rehabilitation and Reintroduction of Tigers and Other Rare Animals (Tiger Centre) say that the cubs’ paths occasionally cross with those of their parents, and that all three cubs stay together. The scientists also note that both Boris and Svetlaya are in wonderful shape.

The family of Borya and Svetlaya is unique. They became the first tigers to independently form a couple and become parents after having been released into the wild. Back in 2014, after their rehabilitation at the Tiger Centre, the two tigers were released in two different areas: Svetlaya was released in the Zhuravliny Nature Sanctuary in the Jewish Autonomous Region, while Borya was released in the Amur Region. In December 2015, the tigers reunited in Zhuravliny, and in May 2017, they welcomed three newborn cubs into the world.

Monitoring of the tigers in the Jewish Autonomous Region is carried out by the employees of the Tiger Centre, the Amur Tiger Centre and the region’s hunting supervision service. According to the latest data, there are at least 11 Amur tigers living in the region.