The Amur tiger has recovered from fewer than 40 individuals to over 500 through intensive protection in Russian reserves, with welfare management now a priority.
Tigers in prey-depleted reserves must travel vast distances to meet nutritional needs, causing chronic energy stress and reduced reproductive success. Poached tigers die from shooting or snare — direct welfare harm and population setback simultaneously. Tigers that approach human settlements in search of prey risk conflict responses including lethal removal. Prey management through hunting regulation and supplementary feeding in severe winters supports tiger welfare without requiring direct tiger intervention.