Operation Amba is the codename of aRussian programme[1] to curtail thepoaching ofSiberian tigers in theRussian Far East. It was described as a strategic defence of the tiger which usespsychological operations as a major element.[2] The programme was concentrated on identifying and neutralizing tiger traders in the Russian Far East[2] and used small anti-poaching teams to roam thetaiga and build a network among local population for support and information.[3] Support from the local population and statelaw enforcement agencies was a key element of the programme.[4] The name "Operation Amba" is derived from "Amba", the name for tiger used by theUdegai people of the Russian Far East.[2]
Operation Amba has been widely successful, having saved cub tigers, made seizures of illegal poaching materials, and raided illegal operations and poachingrings.[3][5][6]
Operation Amba is credited for bringing the Siberian tiger back from the brink ofextinction in the mid-1990s and helping stabilize the population after years of heavy poaching.[4][7][8] Prior to Operation Amba, an estimated 60 to 70 tigers were killed each year by commercial poachers who sold the body parts (skins, bones, etc.) to black market traders. By 1995, the population was thought to have dramatically decreased to just 250-300. By 2001 however, poaching was down to about 8 to 10 tigers per year, and the population had grown to about 400-450 tigers.[6] According to theWorld Wide Fund for Nature, the latest Russian Census reports put the current number to be anywhere between 480 and 520 without including the small numbers of this subspecies present in mainlandChina.[9]
