Historic camera trap footage shows amur tigress with record-breaking five cubs in china’s largest tiger reserve

Wildlife cameras in Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park have captured extraordinary footage that’s giving conservationists hope: an endangered Amur tigress strolling down a dirt road with five cubs trailing behind her. This November 2024 recording marks the first time scientists have documented an Amur tigress successfully raising such a large litter in the wild.

The heartwarming video shows the approximately 9-year-old mother leading her 6-to-8-month-old cubs along a forest path. As some youngsters pause to investigate interesting scents, a fifth cub hurries to catch up with the family group. For a species whose females typically live only 10-15 years in the wild, this tigress represents a remarkable conservation success story.

The 5,400-square-mile national park, which serves as the world’s largest tiger reserve, has become a beacon of hope for Amur tiger recovery. In 2024 alone, 35 tiger cubs were born within its boundaries. This population growth is particularly significant given the species’ dire history—by the 1930s, fewer than 30 Amur tigers survived in the wild due to poaching, habitat destruction, and prey depletion.

Today, the IUCN estimates between 265-486 Amur tigers roam Russia’s forests, with roughly 70 calling China home. These magnificent cats, also known as Siberian tigers, inhabit the dense forests and snowy mountains spanning northeast China, Russia’s Far East, and parts of Korea. While still endangered, their recovering numbers offer hope that dedicated conservation efforts can bring species back from the brink of extinction.