The big cat - one of between 480 and 540 adults living in the wild - has been released into the Bikin National Reserve. Picture: 'Tigr' rehabilitation centre

The endangered tiger was the first to stalk the city in 40 years - and his sighting between 5 and 19 miles from downtown led to fears for the safety of children going to school.

The starving tiger was caught after being spotted near a roadside by a motorist, after many earlier sightings. He was prepared for reentry to the wild at a rehabilitation centre when checks were made that hew as capable of hunting.

The big cat - one of between 480 and 540 adults living in the wild - has been released into the Bikin National Reserve.



Moments before release. Picture: 'Tigr' rehabilitation centre

Sergey Aramilev, director, Far Eastern department of the Amur Tiger centre, said: 'Vladik is a mysterious tiger.

'We don't know how he ended up in Vladivostok. However, his physical condition fits the requirements for releasing an adult tiger in the wild.

'As we know, male tigers can travel huge huge distances.

'That's why, given his past and passion for city life, we decided to take him to the most remote area of wild taiga with a big number of hoofed ungulates as a food supply.

'I hope he'll stay there, won't go too far and will increase the number of tigers in Bikin national reserve.'



A GPS collar was attached to the tiger to track his movements. Pictures: 'Tigr' rehabilitation centre

Alexey Kudryavtsev, director of the Bikin national reserve, said: 'This particular area is not inhabited by other male tigers or other large predators, but at the same time it has quite a lot of hoofed ungulates and is far from residential settlements.'

The tiger didn't disappear in the forest straight after he was released. He spent some time walking around the place where he was released, after he was flown in by helicopter.

A GPS collar was attached to the tiger to track his movements.



'Given his past and passion for city life, we decided to take him to the most remote area of wild taiga.' Picture: 'Tigr' rehabilitation centre

Separately, a tigress - found as an emaciated five month old cub whose mother was slaughtered by poachers - has been released into the wild.

She went to the village of Filippovka in search for food and was attacked by local dogs.

Residents rescued the cub and reported her to authorities. After 14 months rehabilitation, she was ready to hunt.

The tigress - now named Filippa, after the village - was released into the Dichun reserve in the Jewish Autonomous Region.

Aramilev said: 'We are hoping that Filippa will get used to the Jewish Autonomous Region and will increase the number of tigers there.'

Viktor Kuzmenko, director of the Tiger Centre, said: 'The tigress is feeling well, she is active and is roaring in her crate.

'She can't wait to be free again. We are hoping she'll get used to the new place soon, and will have cubs in the future.'



Filippa the tigress. Pictures: 'Tigr' rehabilitation centre

It is hoped she will play a key role in restoring the population of the Siberian - or Amur - tiger population which is now recovering.

Pavel Fomenko, head of the Amur branch of WWF Russia, said: 'One of the aims of relocating rehabilitated animals is trying to enlarge the group of tigers living across the extreme west part of their habitat, on the border the Jewish autonomous region and Amur region.

'There are about 10 predators living there now.

'We hope that they will live in territories where the tigers lived historically, first of all that is left shore of the Amur River in Khabarovsk region.'