It's December 1997 and a man-eating tiger is on the prowl outside a remote village in Russia's Far East. The tiger isn't just killing people, it's annihilating them, and a team of men and their dogs must hunt it on foot through the forest in the brutal cold. To their horrified astonishment it emerges that the attacks are not random: the tiger is engaged in a vendetta. Injured and starving, it must be found before it strikes again, and the story becomes a battle for survival between the two main characters: Yuri Trush, the lead tracker, and the tiger itself. As John Vaillant vividly recreates the extraordinary events of that winter, he also gives us an unforgettable portrait of a spectacularly beautiful region where plants and animals exist that are found nowhere else on earth, and where the once great Siberian Tiger - the largest of its species, which can weigh over 600 lbs at more than 10 feet long - ranges daily over vast territories of forest and mountain, its numbers diminished to a fraction of what they once were. We meet the native tribes who for centuries have worshipped and lived alongside tigers - even sharing their kills with them - in a natural balance. We witness the first arrival of settlers, soldiers and hunters in the tiger's territory in the 19th century and 20th century, many fleeing Stalinism. And we come to know the Russians of today - such as the poacher Vladimir Markov - who, crushed by poverty, have turned to poaching for the corrupt, high-paying Chinese markets. Throughout we encounter surprising theories of how humans and tigers may have evolved to coexist, how we may have developed as scavengers rather than hunters and how early Homo sapiens may have once fit seamlessly into the tiger's ecosystem. Above all, we come to understand the endangered Siberian tiger, a highly intelligent super-predator, and the grave threat it faces as logging and poaching reduce its habitat and numbers - and force it to turn at bay. Beautifully written and deeply informative, The Tiger is a gripping tale of man and nature in collision, that leads inexorably to a final showdown in a clearing deep in the Siberian forest.

Describes the behavior, physical characteristics, habitat, and life cycle of Siberian tigers.

Learn what a Siberian tiger has in common with an elk. Discover what sets a Siberian tiger apart from a Tasmanian devil. Readers will compare and contrast key traits of Siberian tigers—their appearance, behavior, habitat, and life cycle—to traits of other mammals. Charts and sidebars support key ideas and provide details. Through gathering information about similarities and differences, readers will make connections and draw conclusions about what makes this animal a mammal and how mammals are alike and different from each other.

The tiger is an endangered species. There are now only a few thousand tigers surviving in Asia in their natural habitat. The largest of the species, the Siberian tiger, is now confined almost entirely to the thinly-populated Russian Far East where it is increasingly under threat from intensified poaching and the destruction of its habitat. Peter Matthiessen, in addition to being a distinguished novelist, has written classic accounts of his observation of wildlife around the world and his study of the Siberian tiger displays his deep knowledge of, and feeling for, the natural world. He tells the story of the tiger's origin and evolution and describes its role in the mythology and culture of the peoples amongst whom it lived and by whom it was hunted. His illuminating text is accompanied by Maurice Hornocker's magnificent photographs of this fabulous animal.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARD FOR NON-FICTION • WINNER OF THE WRITERS’ TRUST NON-FICTION PRIZE “Absolutely spellbinding.” —The New York Times The environmental true-crime story of a glorious natural wonder, the man who destroyed it, and the fascinating, troubling context in which this act took place. FEATURING A NEW AFTERWORD BY THE AUTHOR On a winter night in 1997, a British Columbia timber scout named Grant Hadwin committed an act of shocking violence in the mythic Queen Charlotte Islands. His victim was legendary: a unique 300-year-old Sitka spruce tree, fifty metres tall and covered with luminous golden needles. In a bizarre environmental protest, Hadwin attacked the tree with a chainsaw. Two days later, it fell, horrifying an entire community. Not only was the golden spruce a scientific marvel and a tourist attraction, it was sacred to the Haida people and beloved by local loggers. Shortly after confessing to the crime, Hadwin disappeared under suspicious circumstances and is missing to this day. As John Vaillant deftly braids together the strands of this thrilling mystery, he brings to life the ancient beauty of the coastal wilderness, the historical collision of Europeans and the Haida, and the harrowing world of logging—the most dangerous land-based job in North America.

Tigers and bears, oh my! These powerful predators each have terrifying traits that firmly place them at the top of the food chain. But what would happen in a matchup between the two of them? Reluctant readers can weigh each animal’s advantages and compare their attack moves with this high-interest title. Profiles offer stats including height and weight, while infographics highlight special abilities. A final narrative follows a fight between the two animals. Who will be ruler of the north?

Describes how tiger cubs learn all about hunting and living on their own.

Illustrated children's resource on Siberian tigers.

Set in a fictional post WW2 Russia, an Amur Tiger lives alone in a forgotten prison camp. One eye was destroyed by the whip, the other branded and scarred with a sickle and hammer. Though blind, the Tiger learns how to see with the aid of his friend, a raven. The Tiger is unwittingly drawn into a larger conflict over the control of the Taiga (the great northern forest of Russia). The Tribe of the Wolf and the Clan of the Boar both vie for control and the Tiger becomes the tipping point and must choose the fate of the Taiga.

The Siberian tiger is the world's largest cat. Members of this beautiful but endangered species grow to be over 650 pounds (295 kg) and may eat as much as 60 pounds (27.2 kg) of meat in one night. That's one king-sized cat! Large color photos, age-appropriate text, and fascinating information will keep emergent readers turning the pages as they learn all about this magnificent, super-sized animal. A comparison diagram is also included to show readers the tiger in relation to a familiar object.