The Khunta Mi Initiative

"Amur (Siberian) tigers have been part of the remote Siberian wilderness for thousands of years, and the forests of the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve are among their last refuge. Here, deep in the heart of tiger country, lies one of the most beautiful places on earth: Khunta Mi. In the shadow of this "mountain that looks like a pagoda", cradled between two large rocky cliffs, lies a sandy beach at the edge of the Sea of Japan where tigers still roam." -John Banovich

In the Sikhote-Alin and throughout the Russian Far East, dedicated Wildlife Conservation Society field staff work at the core of the complex issues and dangers facing the Amur tiger.

Inspired by the wildness, the great strength and extreme beauty of the Amur tiger, and the passionate conservation work of Wildlife Conservation Society field staff, John and BWF launched the Khunta Mi Initiative. This initiative is an effort to bring greater commitment from the worldwide hunting community to conservation of the Siberian Tiger. John has committed a portion of all proceeds from the sale of Khunta Mi giclée canvases to support the Wildlife Conservation Society's tiger conservation efforts in the Russian Far East.

Background Information Approximately 330‑370 adult Siberian, or Amur tigers are left in the wild, all residing in the Russian Far East. Since 1992, the Wildlife Conservation Society's Hornocker Wildlife Institute has conducted intensive studies of tiger ecology and initiated a series of conservation initiatives to save this big cat.

Primary threats to the tiger's survival are habitat loss from intensive logging and development, poaching of tigers, and depletion of the prey base from illegal hunting.

History of Resource Management In the Russian Far East, less than 20% of the habitat needed for the survival of the Siberian tiger is protected. All other tiger habitat exists as multiple use lands, where hunting is allowed. Therefore, tigers and hunters need to find a way to live side by side.

Under the Soviet regime, natural resource management decisions were centralized in Moscow, eliminating local communities and hunters from management processes and decision-making. In 1995, new legislation provided opportunities for local people to create non-governmental 'societies' that could in turn obtain rights to manage hunting lands. This new arrangement does not provide land ownership, but it privatizes the right to use and manage game species on the leased territories.

These revolutionary changes ushered in a new era of wildlife management in Russia. For the first time ever, local people were provided with the responsibility to manage wildlife.

Rather than poach or take as much as possible from the once state-owned properties, people now had a reason to properly manage resources that were theirs, upon which they depended for recreation, income, and food.

Hunters and Hunting Leases Now hunters and hunting societies are responsible for managing game species (including the deer and wild boar tigers depend upon) on over 80% of tiger habitat. With more than 40,000 registered hunters in tiger habitat, hunters form a primary stakeholder group that holds the fate of tigers in their hands. As the only people who can legally carry firearms into the forest, hunters will determine the fate of the Siberian tiger.

However, without adequate training, and with inadequate means to generate revenue, they lack the capacity to effectively cope with these new responsibilities.

WCS is committed to demonstrating that tiger conservation can go hand-in-hand with preservation of the rich hunting tradition in the Russian Far East. Both tigers and hunters have a common interest – high densities of red deer, roe deer, sika deer and wild boar. By helping local hunting societies to better manage their resources we will be helping both tigers and hunters.

WCS Activities and the Khunta Mi Initiative Since 1996, WCS has been working with hunting leases and hunters across the region to:

• support newly established hunting leases
• increase capacity for self-management and financial independence
• increase wildlife populations (specifically large ungulate populations) through effective hunting management on hunting leases
• create well-controlled use of renewable wildlife resources
• disseminate information to the local hunters to improve and enhance their understanding of tigers

Important Next Steps WCS continues to build capacity of hunting leases, the Krai Society of Hunters and Fisherman, the ISUNR, and a newly created indigenous peoples hunting lease. Developing environmental education and outreach programs continues to be an integral component as an informed society is critical to the success of tiger conservation. Ungulate recovery is also a priority for WCS as is exploring alternative sources of income for local people. It is clear that financial stability is a key determinate to the long-term survival of hunting leases. Combined, these innovative efforts are striving to conserve the last viable population of Amur tigers in the world.