The forest people
In the vast temperate forests of Russia's Far East, the Udegey people have a neighbor: the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), the largest cat on Earth. The Udegey, with a population of just over 1,200, have shared this territory for centuries, primarily within the Sikhote-Alin mountains and the Bikin River Valley. This region, often called the "Russian Amazon," contains Eurasia's largest remaining old-growth mixed forest and holds some of the highest biodiversity in boreal Asia. The Udegey's traditional way of life—hunting, fishing, and gathering—persists within this ecosystem, protected today as the Bikin National Park. This park, established in 2015, covers over 1.16 million hectares and hosts an estimated 10% of the world's wild Amur tiger population.
A spiritual understanding
The foundation of the Udegey's relationship with the tiger is a set of deep spiritual beliefs based in shamanism. The tiger, called "Amba," is not a mere wildlife but as a sacred relative, a spiritual being, and a master of the taiga. Udegey folklore tells of marriages between humans and tigers, with their descendants founding kinship lines. This belief system creates a strict taboo against killing a tiger, an act considered a grave sin that would bring certain revenge from the tiger's spirit. If a tiger is killed accidentally, it must be given an elaborate burial with rites similar to those for a human. This reverence extends to everyday behavior in the forest; it is forbidden to steal a tiger's prey or even to step on its paw prints without a ritual of respect. This cultural framework has created a unique form of conservation where humans and apex predators avoid conflict and they actively maintain a balance.