Watch This Massive Siberian Tiger Bolt From Its Cage and Rejoin the Wild

A video filmed in far east Russia shows viewers from around the world an incredible release of a Siberian tiger. The feline in the video is named Zolushka and has worked hard to go back to her natural environment.

When she was just a few months old, her mother was probably slain by poachers, leaving her an orphan. Her team was prepared to release her in Russia after she had been saved and recovered, capable to survive on her own. 

With many cameras set up, the crew gives viewers plenty of angles of this rare sighting – including a camera directly in the tiger’s container. The striped fur of Siberian tigers makes them easy to identify. No two tigers share the same striped patterning, similar to how each person’s fingerprint is different. 

Siberian tigers are distinct from other tigers due to their manes in addition to having fewer, lighter stripes. Together with their thick hair, the mane aids in keeping them warm. We can visibly see this tiger is ready to get back to her homeland as the team continues to set up. 

A Bigger Problem

These professionals have a remote that opens the door to the container Zolushka is in. They continue to get everything in place for a release that’s not only safe for the tiger, but the humans surrounding her as well. 

They stand inside what appear to be tanks as they get closer and closer to her release. The channel pins a comment on the video stating, “Approximately 350-400 adult Siberian or Amur tigers are left in the wild, with 95% of these individuals inhabiting the forests of the Russian Far East, where they play a critical role in both the ecosystem and local culture.”

Going Back Home

Tigers generally exhibit their fury in a variety of ways. Even one of the rescuers mentions that this feline is mad. A sign that a tiger is quite upset is when they look you in the eye and stand its ground. Snarling and baring teeth would be two of the most evident indicators.

She gets up in her holding cell and paces around, waiting to escape the small room. The door to the box opens and we continue to hear the purring and snarling sounds of this soon-to-be-free animal. With one quick leap, she runs into the wild, back to where she belongs. 

It’s truly heartwarming to see how humans can help injured or abandoned animals and rehabilitate them. As she runs off into the woods, one of the camera angles shows that this powerful apex predator nearly knocks over one of the cameras with her muscular tail! 

The largest male Siberian tigers can reach lengths of 12.1 feet with a 3.3-foot tail and weigh in at 933 pounds. The largest females, which are smaller than the males and can weigh up to 370 pounds, measure 7.9 feet in length. This large feline couldn’t be happier to get back into the wild!