Panthera tigris ssp. altaica
| Kingdom |
Phylum |
Class |
Order |
Family |
| ANIMALIA |
CHORDATA |
MAMMALIA |
CARNIVORA |
FELIDAE |
| Scientific Name: |
Panthera tigris ssp. altaica |
| Infra-specific Authority: |
Temminck, 1844 |
Common Name/s:
| English |
– |
Amur Tiger |
| French |
– |
Tigre De Sibérie |
|
| Taxonomic Notes: |
Subspecies recognition of P. t. altaica was affirmed on the basis of molecular markers. This subspecies has a low level of genetic variation, probably due to past and recent population declines (Luo et al. 2004, Russello et al. 2004). |
Assessment Information
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| Red List Category & Criteria: |
Endangered
D
ver 3.1
|
| Year Assessed: |
2008 |
| Assessor/s |
Miquelle, D., Darman, Y. & Seryodkin, I |
| Evaluator/s: |
Nowell, K., Breitenmoser-Wursten, C., Breitenmoser, U. (Cat Red List Authority) & Schipper, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team) |
Justification:
The Amur tiger now occurs primarily in Russia, where it has made a spectacular comeback since the 1930s, when the population fell as low as 20-30 animals (Kaplanov 1948). According to a comprehensive 2005 population census (Miquelle et al. 2007), there are 331-393 adult-subadult Amur tigers in the Russian Far East, with fewer than 100 likely to be sub-adults >20-<36 months of age (D. Miquelle pers. comm. 2008). The number of Amur tigers in China is estimated at 18-22 (Govt of China 2007, GTF 2007), and it is not known if any still survive in North Korea. Effective population size for tigers (the percentage of the population which successfully reproduces itself) is estimated at 40% of the total population (Smith and McDougal 1991). This concords with low documented cub survivorship to independence in the Russian Far East (Kerley et al. 2003). The number of adult reproductively successful Amur tigers is thus likely less than 250 (Criteria D). The population is considered stable, comparing the 2005 results with the previous Russian census in 1996, which used a similar methodology and estimated 330-371 adult/subadult tigers. However, poaching, human-tiger conflict and prey base depletion continue, with the potential to easily alter the hard-won conservation gains for the Amur tiger (Miquelle et al. 2005, 2007). Due to the stability of the population, the Amur tiger is downgraded from Critically Endangered to Endangered. Should the population again start to decline, due to the numerous threats and intensive efforts needed for conservation, this rare subspecies would qualify for uplisting to Critically Endangered under Criteria C2(a)(ii). Over 90% of Amur tigers are found in one large subpopulation in Russia, the Sikhote Alin. A separate second small subpopulation occurs along the southernmost coast, isolated from the main population by the urban area of Vladivostok, but adjoining China's tiger population in the Changbai mountains. The Changbai subpopulation meets the criteria for Critically Endangered (criterion D).
|
| History: |
| 1996 |
– |
Critically Endangered
(Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
|
| 1996 |
– |
Critically Endangered
(Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
|
|
Geographic Range
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Population
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| Population Trend: |
Stable
|
Habitat and Ecology
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