T3 Hero Mother in Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park

Hero mother T3　

In the northernmost part of China, there is a well-preserved forest, which is one of the regions with the richest species in the world. There is abundant sunshine and rain, everything grows freely, animals accumulate energy, and people work hard. There are countless anecdotes and stories here. July 29th is the 13th "Global Tiger Day". Today’s story begins with a heroic mother named T3.

It is called T3, a beautiful and proud adult tigress, which was discovered by researchers in 2013. Because it is the third wild Siberian tiger photographed in the northeast forest area, it is numbered T3. Since 2013, it has been continuously active in the area from Madidi to Yangpao in Hunchun, Jilin. After the establishment of Tiger and Leopard Park, it has a record of 14 years old and 5 births, and is called "heroic mother" by Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park.

The monitoring system shows that since 2013, T3 has been photographed by 89 cameras for more than 260 times, and its territory is basically fixed in Madida business area and the border area between Madida and Yangpao Forest Farm, occasionally crossing the G331 National Road to Sandaogou business area, with a territory area of 234 square kilometers in China.

T3 active point bitmap　

The first appearance of "Goddess"

(2 April 2013)

At 3: 05 am, this female Siberian tiger, which was later named T3, first appeared in front of the infrared camera. Its appearance has once again refreshed the number of wild Siberian tigers in the northeast forest area. This year, T3 appeared in infrared camera images 15 times in April, May, June, July, October and November respectively. According to researchers, T3 was 4 years old at this time.

Being a mother for the first time

(27 October 2014)

At 18: 38: 43 in the evening, T3 appeared in the infrared camera with a cub for the first time. After careful comparison and analysis by researchers, it is speculated that this should be T3′ s first time as a mother, and the cub number is T18, thus the prologue of the heroic mother story begins.

According to time speculation, the father of T3′ s litter may be T4 male tiger. From 2013 to 2015, T4 activities covered T3. In the autumn of 2015, its distribution area was completely occupied by T22.

T22 male tiger: In the autumn of 2015, it occupied the territory originally belonging to T4, covering the southern part of T1 territory and T3 territory. In the spring of 2017 and 2018, the frequency of activities declined, competing with T25 and T28 for territory.

The second wowa

(8 and 10 September 2016)

The infrared camera monitored and photographed the images of T3 leading two different cubs. This surprise discovery made T3 the focus. The settlement and reproduction of this Northeast Tiger family has begun.

According to the monitoring data, after the autumn of 2015, T4′ s home was occupied by T22, and this litter is probably T22, but it is not excluded that it is the last litter of T4.

T3 and cub T35 photographed on September 8, 2016.　

The mystery of the life story of four cubs

(October 5, 2018)

At 6: 17: 43 in the morning, T3 led his third litter to appear in front of the infrared camera. It walked leisurely, looked around and rested in place, feeling like a mother waiting for a child to play by.

Sure enough, the first and second little tigers got tired of playing, returned to their mother and began to coquetry, and then the third and fourth little tigers appeared. Four tiger babies surrounded T3, and the atmosphere was warm and happy. T3 is a great mother. Since then, T3 has another exclusive name: Hero.

T3 with 4 cubs　

According to the camera position estimation and monitoring time, there are two possibilities for the father of the four cubs, one is male tiger T25 and the other is male tiger T28. Since 2017, there have been two male Siberian tigers, T25 and T28, competing for territory here. In 2018, the territories of T28 and T25 partially overlap, so it is speculated that they have territorial competition, and T28 failed. In 2019, T28 gradually withdrew from the territory.

T25 male tiger: In the spring of 2017, T25 male tiger expanded southward to the northwest ditch of Madida, returned to the northwest ditch and Tuligou area in the autumn of 2017, and gradually stabilized in Madida area.　

T28 male tiger: Since 2017, the range of activities of T28 male tiger basically coincides with T22 territory, becoming the winner in the territorial competition. T22 gradually withdrew from the territory and expanded to the area of respecting trust.

Settle down and have a baby.

(July 8, 2020)

The time frequency of T3′ s three reproduction records showed that T3 was pregnant again just after expelling the last litter of adult parents and children, and there was almost no interval between reproduction. As of the winter of 2019, the camera detected that the third litter was still following T3 activities. This dense litter after litter is the best proof of "the increase of wildlife richness" On July 8, 2020, the researchers came to the T3 monitoring site of Madidi again. Through the comparison of the researchers, the female tiger found in the infrared camera was T3. Moreover, the researchers found that T3 seems to be pregnant with a cub again.

Robust T3 baby

(August 2021)

The cubs live independently from their mothers, and one of them is numbered T-HC16. In April, 2023, it was monitored that T-HC16 was still active near the mother’s territory. According to the monitoring period, the tiger was an adult and very healthy. Another tiger cub, numbered T-HC6, was detected to be active near the mother’s territory in October 2022. T3 is an experienced tiger mother in raising cubs, and the survival rate of cubs is relatively high.

T-HC16 cub tiger

Who is its "favorite"

(Early March 2022)

T3 breeds 2 cubs. The monitoring showed that T3 began to take cub activities about 80 days after the cub was born. In February 2023, a cub with T3 was monitored to be active in Madida business area; In March, 2023, two cubs were detected in T3 zone, which were active in the border area between Madida management area and Yangpao Forest Farm.

In 2020, T28 returned to the territory and began a territorial competition with T25 for two years. This time, T28 failed again and gradually disappeared in early 2022. The last time T28 was detected was in March 2022. T25 is the winner of territorial competition, and has a relatively stable family domain. Based on this, it is speculated that the cubs bred by T3 in 2019 and 2022 are likely to be male Siberian tiger T25.

In March, 2023, T3 took a cub to move around the junction of Madida management area and Yangpao Forest Farm.　

The Happy Old Age of Hero Mother

(April 2023)

The life span of the wild Amur tiger is generally 15-17 years, with a maximum of 20 years. T3, now 14 years old, may disappear in Madida, where it lives, and disappear into our sight at any time. At present, the activities of T3 in Madida, Hunchun can still be monitored in the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park. From the monitoring screen, T3 has a strong body and bright eyes, and its prestige is not reduced, and it still maintains its own "Goddess Fan".

Next, researchers from Jilin Forestry and Grass Bureau and Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park will continue to monitor T3′ s activities and physical condition, hoping that it can become a "longevity hero" in the northeast forest region. (Wu Linxi, Kong Weiyao)