Support The Moscow Times!

'Putin's Tiger' Goes on Rampage, Killing 5 Chinese Chickens

The Siberian tiger released into the wild by President Vladimir Putin has eaten five chickens in China. Katie Brady / Reuters

The rare Siberian tiger released into the wild in May by President Vladimir Putin has struck a hen house in northeastern China, Chinese media reported Wednesday.

The country's state-run Xinhua News Agency said the Amur tiger, called Kuzya, had eaten five chickens at a farm in the Heilongjiang province, a move which may prompt local hunters to target the animal.

It was unclear how Kuzya had been identified as the chickens' killer, but the animal was fitted with a tracking device that has previously allowed Russian officials to track his movements.

Kuzya shocked observers by swimming across the Amur River and into China in early October, months after Putin had released it in a remote part of the Amur region.

Earlier, Chinese officials said Kuzya had been tracked to China's Taipinggou nature reserve. At that time, they said they could release cattle into the area to feed the tiger if she needed it, according to the Xinhua agency.

Amur tigers are an endangered tiger subspecies, with only about 400 left in the wild, according to available estimates.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more