Tikhon moves home …

Found alone and starving last November, with your generous help the Amur tiger called Tikhon was rescued and taken to a rehabilitation centre for treatment. Our hope had always been that two and a half year old Tikhon would respond to treatment and within a few months be strong enough to return to the wild.

Sadly, although he’s now a really healthy tiger, the specialists at the centre began to notice something unusual about Tikhon’s behaviour. Unlike others tigers they’d rescued Tikhon showed little fear of humans and rather than patrol his enclosure preferred to spend most of his time in his shelter, eating and sleeping there.

After careful analysis of Tikhon’s behaviour it was decided that it would be dangerous, for Tikhon and people, for him to be released back into the wild.

“This is a very rare outcome,” says TigerTime’s Vicky Flynn. “We were so hopeful that Tikhon would return safely to the wild. Instead he has been transferred to Primorsky Safari Park, a very well maintained facility for wild animals unable to stay in the natural environment on their own. The park has many open air enclosures and is situated among woodland with big enclosures for the tigers.”

Tikhon’s arrival means there are now three tigers in the park where ecological education activities are provided for local people and children.

“We are so grateful to all our supporters who donated to support Tikhon’s rescue and rehabilitation which gave this beautiful, rare cat the chance of survival. We’ll keep you posted of his progress.”

Trying out his new home for size

TigerTime’s aim is to keep tigers wild and free and we will always endeavour to do just that if it is safe for the tigers and the people who share their wild spaces.