Rare Amur tiger 'settling in well' at safari park

A rare Amur tiger has been introduced to a safari park by conservationists.

Five-year-old female Yuki has been taken to Knowsley Safari Park on Merseyside to take part in a breeding programme designed to help ensure the survival of the endangered species.

Only 450 Amur tigers are thought to remain in the wild.

Yuki, whose name translates as both "happiness" and "snow" in Japanese, was part of the biggest family group of Amur tigers in the UK at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire.

As part of a European breeding programme, Yuki joins six-year-old male tiger Makari, who came to Knowsley in 2023.

Amur tigers, formerly known as Siberian tigers, are under threat because of poaching, declining prey populations and deforestation in their natural habitats.

According to the Wildcats Conservation Alliance, they can only be found in the wild in the Russian Far East, across the border into China, and possibly into North Korea.

Yuki has been described as "incredibly intelligent" and is said to have had a great relationship with her previous keepers.

Visitors can see Yuki in her new 10,000 square metre Russian-inspired home, which she shares with Makari.

Knowsley Safari Park's head of carnivores, Pete Johnson, said Yuki was "settling in wonderfully well".

"Our priority is protecting the future of rare species, such as the Amur tiger, and Yuki's arrival marks the start of a vital aspect of the European breeding programme," he added.

Knowsley Safari Park also works with the Wildcats Conservation Alliance to support Amur tigers.

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