Through Phoenix Fund, this project supported the work of the Khabarovsky Anti-poaching team; three experienced rangers who covered the southern part of Khabarovsky region and northern Primorye. The rangers raised awareness by taking part in environmental education at local schools.
The project aimed to ensure Amur tiger habitat protection and population survival in Primorsky and Khabarovsky regions, by:
- Strengthening protection activities in tiger habitat by carrying out joint patrols consisting of state law enforcement officers and public environmental investigation teams;
- Attracting young people to tiger conservation through lectures on Amur tiger and distribution of educational materials;
- Engaging local communities to actively participate in conservation;
- Gaining in support from the local people.
The Team are part of Inspection Tiger which was formed in 1994 within State Ecological Committee of Primorsky Krai. Creation of Inspection Tiger was more of necessity: in the beginning of the 90’s after opening the borders and dissolution of the federal nature conservation system, everything that could have been sold in Ussury taiga was pillaged and smuggled to neighbouringChina. The catastrophic situation affected the endangered population of Amur tigers. Following anti-poaching activities of Inspection Tiger in Primorsky Krai and south of Khabarovsky krai, tiger numbers have crept back to between 431 – 529.
The Khabarovsky team conducted anti-poaching patrols efficiently in 2006. In 2006 the team drew up 80 reports on violations of hunting, fishing and forest regulations, confiscated 22 illegal rifles, 55 fishing nets and investigated six conflict tiger cases.
The three-man team collectively possessed large personal experience in wildlife conservation and were specially trained and equipped to conduct anti-poaching patrols and to investigate human-tiger conflicts. Besides anti-poaching activities, the Khabarovsky team gave lectures on wildlife and conservation efforts for local schoolchildren.
The continued presence of the Khabarovsky anti-poaching team since 2008 resulted in:
- A stable population of Amur tiger in Khabarovsky and Primorsky Krais;
- Strengthened protection of the Amur tigers, its habitat and prey species in the south of Khabarovsky krai and north of Primorye;
- Increased capacity of the Khabarovsky anti-poaching team of Inspection Tiger;
- Increased awareness of the local people on importance of wildlife and habitat conservation;
- Greater understanding of the tiger and its habitat.
This project was fully-funded by Dreamworld.
