Miles separated them: how did the love story between two felines make it possible to reintroduce Siberian tigers to Russia?

Despite the distance that separated them, Boris and Svetlaya, two young Siberian tigers collected in the far east of Russia and raised together to help save their species, were able to find each other, reports The New York Times.

Released 190 km from each other to encourage the dispersal of reintroduced tigers between Russia and China, they demonstrated incredible determination. Boris traveled more than 200 km to find Svetlaya, and six months later, she gave birth to her first litter.

Released into the wild

These two unrelated tigers were collected by scientists in the mountains of Sikhote-Alin, a key stronghold of the species, when they were only 3 to 5 months old. After a period of rehabilitation, they were released into the wild at 18 months old, in separate locations, to maximize the chances of repopulation of the region.

More than a year after their release, Boris joined Svetlaya, traveling almost 190 km almost in a straight line, according to The New York Times. This story illustrates not only their remarkable instincts, but also the success of their rehabilitation in captivity.

In a study published in the Journal of Wildlife Managementscientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society emphasize that orphaned tigers, well prepared for life in the wild, can be successfully released. They hunt as effectively as their wild counterparts, primarily targeting natural prey and avoiding conflict with livestock.