An Amur tiger, who nearly died two years ago after a failed operation on its cheek and jaw, has had extensive face surgery, a Russian animal preservation activist said on Monday.
Eduard Kruglov, head of the wild animals rehabilitation center Utyos, said Zhorik the tiger underwent surgery on Saturday but added that more operations were still needed.
“Their timing depends on how the healing goes along,” he continued. He said the 160,000 rubles ($5,600) raised by schoolchildren in Russia’s Far East will be used to provide him with food and medicines.
Despite massive efforts to protect the Amur tiger population, it is estimated that there are only about 450 of these cats left in the wild.
KHABAROVSK, April 4 (RIA Novosti)