Saving a Tiger Named Cinderella
On an icy day in February 2012, two hunters in eastern Russia discovered a limp bundle of fur lying in the snow. It was an orphaned cub (幼虎) !The cub hadn't eaten in days, and was 1 enough for the hunters just to pick her up. Dr. Dale Miquelle, director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Russia Program, said, "A healthy tiger cub, even a three-month-old one, would give you reason to 2 before you stuck your hand too close to its teeth and claws. But this cub had no
3 left in her."
The hunters wrapped the cub in a coat and 4 her to a local wildlife inspector, Andrey Oryol. Over the following weeks, Oryol 5 the orphaned cub back to health. But now he had a new problem: What could he do with an 6 three-month-old tiger?
The cub was an Amur tiger. 7 a small number of Amur tigers remained in the wild, so scientists wanted to return 8 cubs to their natural habitat. The orphaned cub was taken to a new wildlife center. The center was designed for raising wild animals without 9 them to people. It uses hidden cameras and covered fences to keep workers out of 10. That way, the animals don't become 11 on humans.
The cub, now named Cinderella, became the center's first tiger. Over the next year, she grew into a big, healthy tigress. In the center, she learned to hunt. By the spring of 2013, experts agreed she was 12 to return to the wild.
They chose the perfect new 13 for their tiger princess: the Bastak Nature Reserve. During the next two years, researchers watched Cinderella's 14. They set up cameras to snap photos. When Cinderella passed in front of one of these camera 15, it took her picture. Cinderella not only 16, but grew healthy and strong.
Then, in December 2015, the cameras 17 exciting news: Cinderella had become a mother! For the first time ever, a tiger that humans had 18 and returned to the wild had given birth to two cubs of her own.
Tigers are some of the most admired animals on our planet, but they are also 19. Thanks to the work of conservationists like Dr. Miquelle, there is new 20 for these magnificent cats.
