Law enforcement agencies obtained confirmation that the death of the animal was violent. A criminal case under Art. 258.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Illegal extraction and trafficking of especially valuable wild animals and aquatic biological resources belonging to species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and (or) protected by international treaties of the Russian Federation”.
The offender faces up to 7 years in prison and a fine of up to 2 million rubles. Currently, the case has been transferred to the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Khabarovsk Krai for further investigation.
At the scene of the tiger cub's murder, police officers seized traces of shots on a tree, and also found traces of the legs of an adult Amur tigress. Supposedly, they belong to the mother of a tiger cub, which was returning to the place of death of the cub.
Recall the crime occurred allegedly July 29, 2015. On this day, a group of cyclists, moving along a logging road eight kilometers from the village of Solontsovy, Lazo District in the Khabarovsk Krai, found on the side of the road a young Amur tiger. Traces of gunshot wounds were visible on the body and head of the animal. After making a short video about the “terrible find”, they continued their journey, and following the same way back on August 1, they noticed that the tiger cub had disappeared. Returning the next day to Khabarovsk, the tourists reported this fact in the media and published a video on the Internet. August 3, information about the crime came to the police.
With the aim of early disclosure of the murder of a young tiger cub Amur tiger Centre has announced a reward in the amount of 150 000 rubles for reliable information which will help to establish and to expose the perpetrators of the crime. In the following days the Center has received many messages from all over Russia, but the information that would help convict the attacker has not yet been received. We Express our gratitude to everyone who showed intelligence and gave the available information on violation of natural law, all information received were transmitted to law enforcement authorities for further consideration. Reward for credible information about the murder of an Amur tiger cub remains in force.
Amur tiger Centre continues to do everything possible to assist law enforcement agencies in the disclosure of the crime.