HE is one of only 500 of his kind left in the wild. But now there is fresh hope for Botzman and his fellow Amur tigers after the big cat was welcomed by keepers at his new home in the Scottish Highlands.

The animal has arrived at the Royal Zoological Society’s Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore as part of efforts to save the vulnerable species.

It is hoped Botzman, aged nine, will breed with the park’s current female Amur tiger, Dominika, in the future.

He was born in Moscow and has spent the last eight years at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo near Dunstable, Bedfordshire, where he fathered three cubs in 2018.

Amur tigers originate in the far east of Russia and north-east China, but the species is under threat from poachers.

Keith Gilchrist, animal collection manager at Highland Wildlife Park, said: “We are very excited to welcome Botzman into our care and for visitors to meet him soon.

“For the first few weeks he’ll be kept in a private area while he settles in and then we will slowly begin introductions with Dominika.”

Botzman is known for his “incredible ability” to jump high into trees to catch his prey.

But it will be a while before visitors are able to catch a glimpse of the rare tiger as he settles into his new home at the park.

Graeme Williamson, team leader of predators at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, said: “Botzman is a handsome, confident cat who is known for his incredible ability to jump high up into trees to pull down his dinner.

“He fathered his first litter of cubs in 2018, when he proved himself to be a playful but patient father, teaching his cubs how to climb and swim.

“He will be missed by both zookeepers and visitors at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo but his move to Highland Wildlife Park is a vital part of the European breeding programme for the species.

“With just 500 Amur tigers remaining in the wild, it’s important that tigers like Botzman are given the opportunity to father cubs with other mates, ensuring genetic diversity in the programme and ultimately safeguarding the future of the species.

“Amur tigers are endangered in the wild and any cubs Botzman and Dominika raise could represent a potentially important contribution to the future of the species, which is at risk of extinction due to extensive habitat loss and poaching.”

The Amur tiger has faced the precipice previously. According to the Wildcats Conservation Alliance (WCA), it was on the brink of extinction during the 1940s, with fewer than 50 individuals remaining in the wild.

This was as a result of a long period  of almost continuous political instability following the Russian Revolution and the formation of the Soviet Union.

However, its numbers began to recover towards the end of the decade.

In 1947, Russia became the first country to ban tiger hunting and offer the big cats full protection.

Hunting of the animals’main prey species – boar and deer – also became restricted by annual quota.

Since there was no market for skins and other tiger products, poaching of tigers became relatively rare, according to the WCA.