Russian President Vladimir Putin said he encountered a tiger during a trip through the forest and called it the "master of the taiga." This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
"We were driving through the forest, a tiger came out and started walking in front of the car. It was very interesting to see all the riches of this place," Putin said.
According to the Russian president, the Amur tiger, the Far Eastern leopard, and other rare Far Eastern animals are a special natural treasure for the entire country.
"We pay special attention to protecting Lake Baikal, our Far Eastern rivers, that is, sensitive ecosystems, as well as protecting the Amur tiger, the Far Eastern leopard, and other rare animals as a special natural treasure for the region and the entire country," Putin said.
The Eastern Economic Forum is taking place in Vladivostok from September 1 to 4.
It is worth noting that Russia is helping Kazakhstan restore the population of Caspian tigers in the Balkhash region. As part of the project, four Amur tigers were delivered to Kazakhstan, and one of them was released into the wild.