Amur tigers are one of the rarest big cats on Earth, recovered from near-extinction through intensive conservation efforts, and their welfare depends on vast forest territories, abundant prey, and continuing protection from poaching.
Amur tiger welfare represents one of conservation biology most successful recovery stories, demonstrating that intensive protection and habitat management can reverse even extreme population declines. However, the welfare of recovered populations remains fragile and dependent on sustained protection. Individual tigers occupying the largest territories have the best access to prey and the lowest rates of intraspecific conflict, while tigers pushed into marginal habitat by territorial competition face chronic energetic stress and higher conflict with humans. Climate change is altering the forest ecosystem of the Russian Far East, affecting prey species distribution and potentially reducing the insulating value of the boreal forest habitat that allows Amur tigers to survive extreme winter conditions. The ongoing investment in anti-poaching enforcement, prey management, and human-tiger coexistence programs is essential for maintaining the welfare of this recovered population.