New book tells compelling tale of the fight to save the Siberian tiger

Tigers between empires
Jonathan S. Slat, Allen Lane (UK); Farrar, Straus and Giroux (USA)

The Siberian tiger is a stunning animal, with “black stripes and orange spots,” writes conservationist Jonathan Slat, whose roar resembles “some terrible tide” and is at home in the harsh winters of the Russian Far East, the only tiger sharing a home with bears. More precisely, geographically it is Amur tigerits range extends from the Amur River basin, one of the largest watersheds in Asia. The Amur delineates the border between Russia and China in the east, and it is the interaction of these two great empires and the rich fortunes of their tiger that form the basis of Slaght's fascinating new book. Tigers between empires: a journey to save the Amur tiger from extinction.

There may once have been more than 3,000 tigers in this vast area of ​​Northeast Asia. Already under threat, in 1947 the Soviet Union became the first country in the world to legally protect tigers. According to Slat, their numbers increased for a while. But large predators have always reflected human politics in a special way. The collapse of the Soviet Union impoverished people in these remote parts of the country, forcing them to return to traps to survive. By the end of the 20th century, tigers were under serious threat on both sides of the border, their numbers declining due to hunting, logging, poaching and a general feeling that their presence was indicative of a backward civilization.

It was on this Wednesday that New Englander Dale Mikel arrived to direct the Siberian Tiger Project. In 1992, Mikel landed in Primorye, the farthest eastern corner of Russia, on the shores of the Sea of ​​Japan, a land of wild, untouched forests and rich, untouched ecosystems. Slat, who himself spent decades here, is a wonderful guide, his descriptions of this unique landscape full of detail and feeling. When I read, I really wanted to be where the rocks covered with Korean pine and oak meet the ocean, and tigers roam the beaches.

Slat, also a field biologist, understands the obsession of those working on the project, some from the United States, most from Russia, who happily venture into the forest for weeks to ski in the tracks of a tiger. Both humans and tigers change their composition, and we become as attached to the fates of the cats—proud Olga, brave Severina, orphaned Cinderella—as we are to the people who pulled them back from the abyss, one person at a time. As is often the case, changing the narrative is as important as the science. In one touching scene, the farmer tells how he decided not to shoot Olga because of the stories Mikel told him about her. Coexistence was possible, Mikel realized, because the farmer now saw her as an individual.

In an era of rising nationalism, this project and this book are a timely reminder of what cross-border cooperation can achieve. For 30 years, Americans and Russians worked side by side, driven by a great common goal, and achieved remarkable results. When they first started, so little was known about Siberian tigers, but their dedication and innovative methods have given this magnificent animal another chance.

In 2022, Mikel left Russia, 30 years after the start of his activities. Non-governmental organizations run by foreigners were no longer welcome in the country. But when he left, the area of ​​protected Siberian tiger range was six times larger than when he arrived. There are 500 tigers in the wild, double the number in the mid-20th century. Nothing is stable; we can't take anything for granted. But such hope is a heady tonic for today's world.

Adam Weymouth – author Lone wolfshortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Award