Tiger released by Putin found in China

Kuzya, one of the three Siberian tigers freed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in May, was spotted in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, said Chen Zhigang, head of the Taipinggou Nature Reserve.

Kuzya, who was fitted with a GPS collar, was found to have crossed the Amur River into China, possibly in search of food, in October. Russian experts had called the Chinese side to protect the big cat after it entered China.

According to wild animal expert Jiang Zhi, Kuzya has a good chance of surviving in China because those who kill a tiger will face a prison sentence of 10 years or longer, and human activity in the nature reserve where the tiger was spotted has been on the decrease in recent years thanks to the efforts made to protect the endangered species .

Officials at the Taipinggou Nature Reserve said they would release cattle to feed the Russian tiger if necessary.

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