Sino-Russian lab issues guidelines on human-tiger conflict

The Sino-Russian joint research lab for Amur tiger (Siberian tiger) conservation at China's Northeast Forestry University has released a code of conduct to mitigate human-tiger conflict, marking the 15th International Tiger Day on Tuesday.

The move offers scientific guidance to promote the harmonious coexistence of humans and the recovering Amur tiger population in northeast China.

Gu Jiayin, a researcher at the Feline Research Center of China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration and a faculty member of the College of Wildlife and Protected Area at Northeast Forestry University, said that the new protocols call for the sustainable sharing of landscapes and resources between humans and wildlife through proactive adjustments across multiple areas.

Gu said that the protocols are tailored to the realities of tiger conservation in northeast China. They provide systematic solutions for early-warning capabilities, prevention efforts, emergency response processes, and compensation related to human-tiger conflict and outline specific responses to various types of human-tiger encounters.

Jiang Guangshun, a professor at Northeast Forestry University, noted that China's research efforts in the field of human-tiger conflict mitigation in recent years have aided Amur tiger conservation, improved public safety and provided a model for the global conservation and management of large wild animals.

Established in 2024, the Sino-Russian joint research lab for Amur tiger conservation was founded by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China's Feline Research Center, in collaboration with the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Ecology and Evolution A.N. Severtsov.

The lab brings together experts from both countries who specialize in tiger and leopard population ecology, ethology, genetics, and conflict risk prevention and control. The recently released code of conduct marks their latest collaborative achievement in tiger behavior and conflict management.

(Cover: The female Amur tiger named Crystal is seen in its enclosure at the Chudesny zoo in Ussuriysk, Primorye Territory, Russia, July 2, 2025. /VCG)