Sumatran Tiger

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Lore & Background

The Siberian tiger is genetically close to the now-extinct Caspian tiger. Results of a phylogeographic study comparing mitochondrial DNA from Caspian tigers and living tiger populations indicate that the common ancestor of the Siberian and Caspian tigers colonized Central Asia from eastern China, via the Gansu−Silk Road corridor, and then subsequently traversed Siberia eastward to establish the Siberian tiger population in the Russian Far East. The Caspian and Siberian tiger populations were the northernmost in mainland Asia. The Siberian tiger was also called "Amur tiger", "Manchurian tiger", "Korean tiger", and "Ussurian tiger", depending on the region where individuals were observed. Several reports have been published since the 1990s on the genetic makeup of the Siberian tiger and its relationship to other populations. One of the most important outcomes has been the discovery of low genetic variability in the wild population, especially when it comes to maternal or mitochondrial DNA lineages. It seems that a single mtDNA haplotype almost completely dominates the maternal lineages of wild Siberian tigers. On the other hand, captive tigers appear to show higher mtDNA diversity. This may suggest that the subspecies has experienced a very recent genetic bottleneck caused by human pressure, with the founders of the captive population having been captured when genetic variability was higher in the wild. In 2013, the whole genome of the Siberian tiger was sequenced and published. Tigers in mainland Asia fall into two clades: the northern clade comprises the Siberian and Caspian tiger populations, and the southern clade all remaining continental tiger populations. A study published in 2018 was based on 32 tiger specimens using whole-genome sequencing for analysis. Results support six monophyletic tiger clades and indicate that the most recent common ancestor lived about 110,000 years ago.

In Their Own Story

The snow lay deep in the Sikhote-Alin range, muffling the forest into a cathedral of silence. A male Siberian tiger, his coat a thick, pale rust against the white, padded along a frozen streambed. His breath plumed in the -30°C air. He was one of the estimated 562 wild Siberian tigers in Russia, a survivor of a population that had been stable for more than a decade due to intensive conservation efforts. He paused, ears swiveling, catching the faint crack of a twig. A wild boar, rooting for acorns under the snow. The tiger crouched, his massive frame compressing into the undergrowth. In a burst of power, he launched, covering the distance in three bounds. The boar never saw him coming. This was the life of the northernmost tiger, a creature of the taiga, where every meal was a battle against the cold and the shrinking wild.

Reader's Guide

The Siberian tiger faces a complex set of threats. Historically, it was eradicated from the Korean Peninsula during the period of Japanese rule between 1910 and 1945. In the Russian Far East, the population declined after 2005, though an initial census in 2015 indicated an increase to 480–540 individuals, including 100 cubs. A more detailed census later revealed a total population of 562 wild Siberian tigers in Russia. As of 2022, about 756 Siberian tigers, including 200 cubs, were estimated to inhabit the Russian Far East. Conservation efforts have been intensive, but the population remains vulnerable. The low genetic variability in the wild population, especially in mitochondrial DNA lineages, suggests a very recent genetic bottleneck caused by human pressure. Samples of 95 wild Amur tigers collected throughout their native range identified two populations separated by a development corridor in Russia. Researchers failed to find evidence of a recent population bottleneck, although genetic signatures of a historical contraction were detected. The extent and distribution of genetic variation in captive and wild populations were similar, yet gene variants persisted ex situ that were lost in situ. Overall, results indicate the need to secure ecological connectivity between the two Russian populations to minimize loss of genetic diversity and overall susceptibility to stochastic events.

Did You Know?

• The Siberian tiger is genetically close to the now-extinct Caspian tiger, with their common ancestor colonizing Central Asia from eastern China via the Gansu−Silk Road corridor.
• In 2005, there were 331–393 adult and subadult Siberian tigers in the Sikhote-Alin region, with a breeding adult population of about 250 individuals.
• As of 2022, about 756 Siberian tigers, including 200 cubs, were estimated to inhabit the Russian Far East.
• A single mtDNA haplotype almost completely dominates the maternal lineages of wild Siberian tigers, suggesting a very recent genetic bottleneck.
• The Siberian tiger was also called 'Amur tiger', 'Manchurian tiger', 'Korean tiger', and 'Ussurian tiger', depending on the region where individuals were observed.