On Monday, December 4, 2023, in the remote village of Obor in eastern Russia, a tragic encounter with a Siberian tiger led to the death of a 76-year-old man.

The incident unfolded when the man’s dog was attacked and taken by a tiger. In an attempt to locate his pet, the elderly man tracked the tiger deep into the forest, where he was then fatally attacked. The man’s body, along with the remains of his dog, was discovered on Monday, showing clear indications of an animal attack. Local police and hunting department specialists were promptly dispatched to the scene to investigate.

Khabarovsk region, the location of this incident, has experienced close to 300 instances of tigers encroaching on human settlements in 2023, including several attacks on dogs and people. Earlier in the year, the region’s residents sought intervention from Russian President Vladimir Putin for enhanced protection against these endangered predators.

Siberian tigers, also referred to as Amur tigers, are distinguished by their size, with adult males weighing between 400 and 700 pounds and measuring up to 12 feet in length, including their tails. The wild population of these tigers is less than 500, concentrated mostly in Russia’s Far East, though conservation efforts have seen their numbers rise. 

The growing population of Siberian tigers has led to increased encounters with humans, raising questions about safety and the management of wildlife. The incident in Obor underscores the challenges in balancing the coexistence of humans and these formidable predators.