In the last weekend of September, according to tradition, citizens of Vladivostok will celebrate Day of the Amur tiger. The rare predator will be the hero of the day for the 15th time – it will be the anniversary, so the holiday will be celebrated in a big way.
The holiday is organized by the Primorsky Krai Administration and the Administration of Vladivostok city. This year, Center «Siberian Tiger» will take an active part in the organization for the first time. It was created last summer by the Russian Geographical Society on the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The idea of environmental festival in honor of the Amur tiger, which is the symbol of Primorsky Krai and Vladivostok originated in 2000. Among the initiators of the festival are: a famous writer-hunter Vladimir Troinin and Russian and international environmental organizations. In 2001, by the Head of the Administration of Vladivostok the festival was given the status of an official city holiday, and in later years it was regularly held in the capital of Primorye.
ГThe main aim of the festival is to draw public attention to the problem of conservation of wildlife, including the Amur tiger. Being in the Red Book, today the Amur tiger is one of the most rare representatives of the world’s fauna. The main part of its population lives in the south of the Russian Far East – Khabarovsky Krai and Primorye. According to the latest census, there are about 500 tigers in our country.
“There are no many memorable days when people can reflect on how fragile is the world around them, how vulnerable our neighbors on the planet, how each of us can keep a piece of pristine nature. Day of the Amur tiger is just one of those days, – said director of the Primorsky branch of Center “Amur Tiger” Sergei Aramilev. – Of course celebrations won’t affect the state of the tiger population. On the other hand, nothing depends on the tiger, no matter how strong it is: tigers will not be able to protect themselves and other fauna from extinction, unique forests from logging and fires. The fate of the tiger is in the hands of the people who live next to it. The survival of not only the tiger, but also of the unique natural complex depends on their choice”
Holiday events in the city will start on Saturday, September 27. At noon on the waterfront of Sportivnaya harbor a children’s festival will be held, in honor of the anniversary of the opening of the World Wildlife Fund monument to tiger cubs, and the presentation of the book of modern children’s writer Sergei Georgieva «Little Amur, or the Adventures of a tiger cub». The illustrated book was published by “Siberian Tiger” Center in partnership with the publishing house “ROSMEN” in order to attract the attention of the younger generation to the problem of preservation of rare species of animals. From the pages of a colorful edition that first little readers will receive for free, one can learn about the exciting adventures of a family of Amur tigers.
This year festival will focus not only on the tiger, but also on the people who have made a significant contribution to the implementation of programs for the conservation of large predators. A monument in the form of a tiger, which Center “Siberian Tiger” will give to the city will be dedicated to them. The opening ceremony of a new sculpture will be held on the square near Primorsky State Opera and Ballet Theatre.
The event will be attended by the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Centre “Siberian Tiger”, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, Head of the Presidential Control Directorate of the Russian Federation Konstantin Chuichenko and Mayor of Vladivostok Igor Pushkarev. In the evening at the theater activists who have taken distinguish part in preserving the unique natural complex of the south of the Far East will be awarded certificates of honor of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the event will end with a festive concert.
On Sunday, in Vladivostok, a traditional parade will be held, the column will march along Okeansky Prospect to the Central Square of the city. Children and adults from all over the region, dressed as tigers, will be on the streets with posters to protect the flora and fauna of the Far East. In the Central Square of the city everyone can get acquainted with the activities of environmental organizations, learn a lot about the main character of the holiday, and children will be able to participate in competitions.
At the festival the kids from School #2 of Slavyanka settlement, who won the contest «Keeper of the Leopard”, which started in July 2014 and was organized by FSBI “Land of the Leopard” will announce the name that they gave to “their” leopard. Schoolchildren were given the right to name the kitten leopard – Leo 9.
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Photo: Elena StarostinaUnder the terms of the contest, each member was able to get the right to name one of the spotted predators. Such a right could have been earned by a person or by a group of people who were active in the preservation of the Far Eastern leopard. The kids from clubs Friends of “Land of the Leopard» have been taking care of this rare cat for many years. A separate nomination was instituted for them – «Kittens for kids», the idea of which was that every club could have its own «little leopard».
The program of Day of the Tiger also includes contest of environmental teams (dance staging performances with elements of acrobatics), awarding the winners of the carnival procession and a concert of Russian group “B-2″. Center “Siberian Tiger” prepared a special gift for the youngest guests – a holiday matinee «Visiting «Spokoinoi nochi, malyshy».