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Tigers Between Empires: The Improbable Return of Great Cats to the Forests of Russia and China
A Best Book of the Scientific American, The Minneapolis Star Tribune, CounterPunch, The Telegraph,
BookPage
A Chicago Tribune Most-Anticipated Book of the Season
“Epic . . . Slaght again shines his scientific-yet-soulful spotline on one of the world’s most amazing creatures . . . [A] fascinating survival-revival tale.” —Michiela Thuman, The Minnesota Star Tribune
The thrilling saga of the great Amur tiger and the scientists who came together, across the world, to save it.
The forests of northeast Asia are home to a marvelous range of animals—fish owls and brown bears, musk deer and moose, wolves and raccoon dogs, leopards and tigers. But by the final years of the Cold War, only a few hundred tigers stepped quietly through the snow of the Amur River basin. Soon, the Soviet Union fell, bringing catastrophe; without the careful oversight of a central authority, poaching and logging took a fast, astonishing toll on an already vulnerable species.
Just as these changes arrived, scientists came together to found the Siberian Tiger Project. Led by Dale Miquelle, a moose researcher, and Zhenya Smirnov, a mouse biologist, the team captured and released more than 114 tigers over three decades. They witnessed mating rituals and fights, hunting and feeding, the ceding and taking of territory, the creation of families.
Within these pages, characters—both feline and human—come fully alive as we travel with them through the quiet and changing forests of Amur. We travel across time, too, as the fate of the species has been shaped by the history and politics of empires—such as the Qing dynasty’s Willow Palisade, which once slowed human settlement, or the later introduction of roads through Russian reserves. The Siberian Tiger Project became the longest-running tiger research initiative; its work continues to guide conservationists today. Jonathan C. Slaght’s Tigers Between Empires is the thrilling saga of the great Amur tiger and the scientists who came together, across the world, to save it.
A Chicago Tribune Most-Anticipated Book of the Season
“Epic . . . Slaght again shines his scientific-yet-soulful spotline on one of the world’s most amazing creatures . . . [A] fascinating survival-revival tale.” —Michiela Thuman, The Minnesota Star Tribune
The thrilling saga of the great Amur tiger and the scientists who came together, across the world, to save it.
The forests of northeast Asia are home to a marvelous range of animals—fish owls and brown bears, musk deer and moose, wolves and raccoon dogs, leopards and tigers. But by the final years of the Cold War, only a few hundred tigers stepped quietly through the snow of the Amur River basin. Soon, the Soviet Union fell, bringing catastrophe; without the careful oversight of a central authority, poaching and logging took a fast, astonishing toll on an already vulnerable species.
Just as these changes arrived, scientists came together to found the Siberian Tiger Project. Led by Dale Miquelle, a moose researcher, and Zhenya Smirnov, a mouse biologist, the team captured and released more than 114 tigers over three decades. They witnessed mating rituals and fights, hunting and feeding, the ceding and taking of territory, the creation of families.
Within these pages, characters—both feline and human—come fully alive as we travel with them through the quiet and changing forests of Amur. We travel across time, too, as the fate of the species has been shaped by the history and politics of empires—such as the Qing dynasty’s Willow Palisade, which once slowed human settlement, or the later introduction of roads through Russian reserves. The Siberian Tiger Project became the longest-running tiger research initiative; its work continues to guide conservationists today. Jonathan C. Slaght’s Tigers Between Empires is the thrilling saga of the great Amur tiger and the scientists who came together, across the world, to save it.
575 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2025
About the author
Jonathan C. Slaght
8 books259 followersJonathan C. Slaght, PhD, is the Regional Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Temperate Asia Program, where he oversees WCS programs in China, Mongolia, and Afghanistan, and projects in Russia and Central Asia.
His first book, "Owls of the Eastern Ice," was longlisted for a 2020 National Book Award for Nonfiction, and won the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award in 2021.
Slaght's "Tigers Between Empires" was released in November, 2025, and named one of the Best Books of 2025 by the Minnesota Star Tribune, Scientific American, BookPage, and more.
His other writings have been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, and Audubon Magazine, among others.
His first book, "Owls of the Eastern Ice," was longlisted for a 2020 National Book Award for Nonfiction, and won the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award in 2021.
Slaght's "Tigers Between Empires" was released in November, 2025, and named one of the Best Books of 2025 by the Minnesota Star Tribune, Scientific American, BookPage, and more.
His other writings have been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, and Audubon Magazine, among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
August 19, 2026
This book is essentially a history of the Siberian Tiger Project, a joint Russian-American collaboration that began in 1992 with the aim of protecting the Siberian Tiger, which in the book is referred to as the Amur Tiger. I listened to the audio version.
The political collapse of the USSR was accompanied by economic collapse, generating, in the Russian far east, an increase in poaching from people who had lost their employment and had no other way to make a living. The Project sought to improve knowledge of tigers through collaring and tracking, and to promote understanding and acceptance of tigers. The Russians brought expertise in field biology, and the Americans brought money and technology. Both sides contributed some astonishingly dedicated people, who spent their adult lives living and working in remote communities and in primitive conditions.
The book provides a detailed description of the capture/collaring activities undertaken by Project staff, and thereafter the lives of a number of the individual animals who were tracked. The life of a wild tiger is tough, and some of the tigers featured in the book fell victim to poachers or to vehicle strikes. On the whole though, the project was successful. The number of Amur Tigers has increased, and the animals are expanding back into former territories.
A big part of the strategy was in improving relationships with local people, for example in allowing hiking access to reserves from which they had previously been excluded. The Project also encouraged local people to take pride in the presence of the tiger, the “pearl of the Russian forest.”
The phrase “between empires” was used in the title because historically Amur Tigers lived in both Russia and China, but a denser settlement pattern on the Chinese side meant that by the 1970s very few tigers were left in that country. The STP was based in Russia and the book overwhelmingly focuses on activities within Russian territory, but also notes that the recovery of the population in Russia has seen increasing number of tigers moving into China.
Eventually the project fell foul of the gradually worsening relations between Russia and the US. Soviet-era phrases about “foreign agents” started to be used again. The main American participant, Dale Miquelle, moved back to the US after the outbreak of the Ukraine War. He had lived in Russia for 30 years and felt homesick on his return to America.
The Amur Tiger still faces multiple threats, but overall this is a hopeful book.
The author was not part of the STP but was himself a biologist working in the Russian far east. He authored an earlier book, Owls of the Eastern Ice, which I will be adding to my TBR list.
The political collapse of the USSR was accompanied by economic collapse, generating, in the Russian far east, an increase in poaching from people who had lost their employment and had no other way to make a living. The Project sought to improve knowledge of tigers through collaring and tracking, and to promote understanding and acceptance of tigers. The Russians brought expertise in field biology, and the Americans brought money and technology. Both sides contributed some astonishingly dedicated people, who spent their adult lives living and working in remote communities and in primitive conditions.
The book provides a detailed description of the capture/collaring activities undertaken by Project staff, and thereafter the lives of a number of the individual animals who were tracked. The life of a wild tiger is tough, and some of the tigers featured in the book fell victim to poachers or to vehicle strikes. On the whole though, the project was successful. The number of Amur Tigers has increased, and the animals are expanding back into former territories.
A big part of the strategy was in improving relationships with local people, for example in allowing hiking access to reserves from which they had previously been excluded. The Project also encouraged local people to take pride in the presence of the tiger, the “pearl of the Russian forest.”
The phrase “between empires” was used in the title because historically Amur Tigers lived in both Russia and China, but a denser settlement pattern on the Chinese side meant that by the 1970s very few tigers were left in that country. The STP was based in Russia and the book overwhelmingly focuses on activities within Russian territory, but also notes that the recovery of the population in Russia has seen increasing number of tigers moving into China.
Eventually the project fell foul of the gradually worsening relations between Russia and the US. Soviet-era phrases about “foreign agents” started to be used again. The main American participant, Dale Miquelle, moved back to the US after the outbreak of the Ukraine War. He had lived in Russia for 30 years and felt homesick on his return to America.
The Amur Tiger still faces multiple threats, but overall this is a hopeful book.
The author was not part of the STP but was himself a biologist working in the Russian far east. He authored an earlier book, Owls of the Eastern Ice, which I will be adding to my TBR list.
July 22, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
WOAH, one of my favorites from this entire year for sure! This book was amazing, I can't believe I have never heard of this author before now! I can't wait to read his other works. I nearly hesitated while requesting the advanced copy of this book, because I was worried I would find it a bit too historical and dry (I don't often like reading pure history). However, it was anything but that!!! While the author does go over, in intricate detail, the history of tiger conservation efforts in northeastern Asia from the 1990s until today, it reads like part memoir, part wilderness adventure story.
If you like to read about people spending time outdoors or living in remote places (I am recently especially fond of What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs, and Anima: A Wild Pastoral), then this would absolutely be the book for you. Animal lovers and fans of Barry Lopez (especially his animal writing in Arctic Dreams) will adore this as well, since the author takes you up close and personal with exactly how a tiger (and their prey) lives in the wild. We follow the young biologists through the forest while they note tiger signs and eventually begin to capture and track them- an intimate perspective that very very few people are ever lucky enough to experience.
Reading this was also very much like reading a memoir (even though I know it is not one), because the author really makes efforts to include specific details of the events and people involved to make you feel as if you are right there with them. In the end notes I found out this is likely because he WAS right there with them, at least for many later parts of this book, as he himself is a wildlife scientist who studied the endangered Blakiston's fish owl in the same region where the Siberian Tiger Project was doing its work (yes, I already added his book about this work to my tbr haha), and is friends with quite a few of the people he writes about. He is therefore able to paint such a wonderful and intimate picture of the Primorye region and its nature, along with the people involved in tiger conservation there.
I learned so much more than I expected about tigers and how they live (and die) in the wild. It is such a gift to feel like you have been right there walking with these huge, beautiful animals in their forest while reading this from your city house thousands of miles away. Wonderful history, wonderful animals, wonderful writing style, really a breath of fresh air- I can only very happily recommend this one!
WOAH, one of my favorites from this entire year for sure! This book was amazing, I can't believe I have never heard of this author before now! I can't wait to read his other works. I nearly hesitated while requesting the advanced copy of this book, because I was worried I would find it a bit too historical and dry (I don't often like reading pure history). However, it was anything but that!!! While the author does go over, in intricate detail, the history of tiger conservation efforts in northeastern Asia from the 1990s until today, it reads like part memoir, part wilderness adventure story.
If you like to read about people spending time outdoors or living in remote places (I am recently especially fond of What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs, and Anima: A Wild Pastoral), then this would absolutely be the book for you. Animal lovers and fans of Barry Lopez (especially his animal writing in Arctic Dreams) will adore this as well, since the author takes you up close and personal with exactly how a tiger (and their prey) lives in the wild. We follow the young biologists through the forest while they note tiger signs and eventually begin to capture and track them- an intimate perspective that very very few people are ever lucky enough to experience.
Reading this was also very much like reading a memoir (even though I know it is not one), because the author really makes efforts to include specific details of the events and people involved to make you feel as if you are right there with them. In the end notes I found out this is likely because he WAS right there with them, at least for many later parts of this book, as he himself is a wildlife scientist who studied the endangered Blakiston's fish owl in the same region where the Siberian Tiger Project was doing its work (yes, I already added his book about this work to my tbr haha), and is friends with quite a few of the people he writes about. He is therefore able to paint such a wonderful and intimate picture of the Primorye region and its nature, along with the people involved in tiger conservation there.
I learned so much more than I expected about tigers and how they live (and die) in the wild. It is such a gift to feel like you have been right there walking with these huge, beautiful animals in their forest while reading this from your city house thousands of miles away. Wonderful history, wonderful animals, wonderful writing style, really a breath of fresh air- I can only very happily recommend this one!
November 12, 2025
Tigers between Empires tells the soup-to-nuts history of the Siberian tiger project, a research project that aimed to answer questions about the surviving Amur tiger population in the Russian Far East. It involved tracking, tagging, monitoring, and in a few cases, raising and releasing tigers - tasks that are easy to list, but much, much more difficult to physically carry out when you're talking about a huge apex predator.
Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book (and one other book on tigers) over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book (and one other book on tigers) over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
August 31, 2026
I love animals and the Tiger is one of my favourites. I’m not a huge fan of fact books but couldn’t resist lending this when I saw it in my library.
During the final years of the Cold War, only a few hundred of these beautiful, graceful animals remained in Northeast Asia. Poaching and logging taking a terrible toll on an already vulnerable species, the Amur or Siberian Tiger.
The author tells us that the revival of the Amur Tiger, which is ongoing, brings us hope for our futures and the Natural World. I really enjoyed reading this book and learned a lot about conservation that I didn’t know.
During the final years of the Cold War, only a few hundred of these beautiful, graceful animals remained in Northeast Asia. Poaching and logging taking a terrible toll on an already vulnerable species, the Amur or Siberian Tiger.
The author tells us that the revival of the Amur Tiger, which is ongoing, brings us hope for our futures and the Natural World. I really enjoyed reading this book and learned a lot about conservation that I didn’t know.
January 25, 2026
Loved learning about these snow cats and the fieldwork exploits. So cool. A little slow in places but I thought it was overall gripping and now I am full of fun tiger facts
February 27, 2026
This book somehow reminded me that I do in fact like my major. Round of applause.
March 17, 2026
A second outstanding book from this author. I hope he writes a third one.
November 5, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A really incredible account of the Siberian Tiger Project. I love reading nonfiction books that do a deep dive into one species, and this book did a phenomenal job of that while still being accessible to the layperson. This book did not just successfully convey the biology, behavior, strength, and majesty of the Amur (Siberian) Tiger—it also conveys the feeling of confusion that comes from living in a country in turmoil after the fall of the Soviet Union. It captures the political climate of that time incredibly well. One of my favorite nonfiction books I've read in a while.
A really incredible account of the Siberian Tiger Project. I love reading nonfiction books that do a deep dive into one species, and this book did a phenomenal job of that while still being accessible to the layperson. This book did not just successfully convey the biology, behavior, strength, and majesty of the Amur (Siberian) Tiger—it also conveys the feeling of confusion that comes from living in a country in turmoil after the fall of the Soviet Union. It captures the political climate of that time incredibly well. One of my favorite nonfiction books I've read in a while.
February 17, 2026
Tigers Between Empires continues my recent streak of exceptional nature writing. I’ve always been fascinated by the Russian Far East, but Jonathan C. Slaght brings that remote and often forbidding landscape vividly to life through the story of the Amur tiger and the scientists determined to save it.
Part natural history, part geopolitical history, and part field memoir, this book traces the precarious survival of one of the world’s most magnificent predators through the collapse of the Soviet Union and the chaos that followed. The long-running Siberian Tiger Project provides the narrative spine, but Slaght never loses sight of the individual animals whose lives and territories shaped the research.
What makes this especially compelling is the balance: scientific rigor paired with genuine narrative drive, and conservation urgency without sermonizing. A deeply absorbing look at how fragile ecosystems depend on fragile human cooperation—and how, sometimes, that cooperation succeeds.
Part natural history, part geopolitical history, and part field memoir, this book traces the precarious survival of one of the world’s most magnificent predators through the collapse of the Soviet Union and the chaos that followed. The long-running Siberian Tiger Project provides the narrative spine, but Slaght never loses sight of the individual animals whose lives and territories shaped the research.
What makes this especially compelling is the balance: scientific rigor paired with genuine narrative drive, and conservation urgency without sermonizing. A deeply absorbing look at how fragile ecosystems depend on fragile human cooperation—and how, sometimes, that cooperation succeeds.
March 15, 2026
As someone who doesn’t usually gravitate toward nature writing I was a bit worried I wouldn’t enjoy this, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The tigers themselves were so intriguing and created quite the emotional roller coaster (coming from someone who currently has a cat curled up in her lap). I share some more thoughts in my BookTube Prize video: https://youtu.be/_JHG7MjZtE8
August 10, 2026
As good as OWLS OF THE EASTERN ICE, if not better. I feel like a traitor admitting it, but the element of danger in a book about tiger conservation makes it an even more compelling read than one about owls (and I remember that one being quite compelling, too). I was on the edge of my seat at every tiger capture, and some of the narratives interwoven into the story, like "The Kolumbe Man-Eater," are downright ghoulishly fascinating. Where Slaght turns to sketch the institutional or political history of the organizations involved in this project, preeminently the Siberian Tiger Project, the pages don't fly by quite so fast -- but I think he recognized this, because he's careful to just lightly sprinkle this information in amidst the tense, fast-paced fieldwork: this is first and foremost a story about the boots on the (muddy, snowy, icy) ground.
One thing I wasn't expecting is that Slaght never comes into the story personally, except in one photo. I figured he'd make a cameo appearance at least, but he keeps himself out of the limelight and focuses on the men and women actively involved in the Amur tiger work. Given that his first book was all about his own project, I can't imagine this was an easy one to write, but he still manages to make you feel that he was present at the scenes he describes and therefore that you are too. He tells a darn good story, that's for sure. I also appreciate his evident attachment to the land and people of eastern Russia; even when he's writing about poaching, he seems empathetic to the plight of men living on a razor's edge who don't have the luxury of picking and choosing what they hunt and to a population that has been systematically excluded from protected lands so that they end up feeling no connection to or pride in the habitat. The proposals for further conservation of an endangered but also potentially dangerous species were really interesting, since the advocates have to come up with ways to balance the needs of a really special animal with the safety of human beings.
As fascinating as the book is, it's also predictably sad. Even where people aren't involved, the lives of these tigers can be pretty brutish and short -- and people make them a lot shorter with roads and bullets. This is all the more depressing when the tigers are collared and named individuals tracked by the biologists. When a tiger's collar stopped transmitting, I was always hoping there would be a happy surprise, but this was pretty much never the case. Still, Slaght ends on a fairly hopeful note (as signalled by the book's subtitle).
I can say, though, that as amazing as these big cats sound, I'm happier not living in a part of the world where I might encounter one when I go for a hike.
One thing I wasn't expecting is that Slaght never comes into the story personally, except in one photo. I figured he'd make a cameo appearance at least, but he keeps himself out of the limelight and focuses on the men and women actively involved in the Amur tiger work. Given that his first book was all about his own project, I can't imagine this was an easy one to write, but he still manages to make you feel that he was present at the scenes he describes and therefore that you are too. He tells a darn good story, that's for sure. I also appreciate his evident attachment to the land and people of eastern Russia; even when he's writing about poaching, he seems empathetic to the plight of men living on a razor's edge who don't have the luxury of picking and choosing what they hunt and to a population that has been systematically excluded from protected lands so that they end up feeling no connection to or pride in the habitat. The proposals for further conservation of an endangered but also potentially dangerous species were really interesting, since the advocates have to come up with ways to balance the needs of a really special animal with the safety of human beings.
As fascinating as the book is, it's also predictably sad. Even where people aren't involved, the lives of these tigers can be pretty brutish and short -- and people make them a lot shorter with roads and bullets. This is all the more depressing when the tigers are collared and named individuals tracked by the biologists. When a tiger's collar stopped transmitting, I was always hoping there would be a happy surprise, but this was pretty much never the case. Still, Slaght ends on a fairly hopeful note (as signalled by the book's subtitle).
I can say, though, that as amazing as these big cats sound, I'm happier not living in a part of the world where I might encounter one when I go for a hike.
October 30, 2025
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this one!
I've been trying to read more non-fiction recently and this one caught my attention because like most people, I had a period of childhood where I was "obsessed" with tigers. I really enjoyed this one, and was pleasantly surprised by how it was written. I was a little afraid it would be too dry with history and I would zone out (just by it's nature and my personal preferences) but it was not at all dry!
While there are definitely a lot of facts and tons of information dropped on us in this book, it's written in a way that does not make you feel like you're just being info dumped. It almost reads like a memoir as we follow detailed accounts of the scientists that worked on this project and I think that brings a really great layer to this book that helps the reader (or at least, me) absorb the information. I definitely learned that I knew next to nothing about how these types of animal conservation projects work, that's for sure. There is a lot more that goes into them, and the scientists that dedicate their lives to these efforts have all my applause.
I'm always hesitant when an author narrates their own book because sometimes it just doesn't work but it really did work here. You can hear the passion in his voice for this subject, and he emotes really well that brings some heart to this story that could otherwise feel bland since there IS so much information being given to us. His familiarity with the subject (conservation in general, the people, and the geographical area) comes across pretty clearly, in my opinion, because there's an ease in the way he speaks throughout this audiobook.
Overall, I learned a lot in this one and really enjoyed the connection we had to some of the specific tigers AND scientists. Some parts did make me very sad (animal poaching obviously sucks and this is a reminder of how AWFUL humans are...) and I'll definitely be looking for similar reads to add to my tbr - both about tigers and other animal conservation topics in general!
I've been trying to read more non-fiction recently and this one caught my attention because like most people, I had a period of childhood where I was "obsessed" with tigers. I really enjoyed this one, and was pleasantly surprised by how it was written. I was a little afraid it would be too dry with history and I would zone out (just by it's nature and my personal preferences) but it was not at all dry!
While there are definitely a lot of facts and tons of information dropped on us in this book, it's written in a way that does not make you feel like you're just being info dumped. It almost reads like a memoir as we follow detailed accounts of the scientists that worked on this project and I think that brings a really great layer to this book that helps the reader (or at least, me) absorb the information. I definitely learned that I knew next to nothing about how these types of animal conservation projects work, that's for sure. There is a lot more that goes into them, and the scientists that dedicate their lives to these efforts have all my applause.
I'm always hesitant when an author narrates their own book because sometimes it just doesn't work but it really did work here. You can hear the passion in his voice for this subject, and he emotes really well that brings some heart to this story that could otherwise feel bland since there IS so much information being given to us. His familiarity with the subject (conservation in general, the people, and the geographical area) comes across pretty clearly, in my opinion, because there's an ease in the way he speaks throughout this audiobook.
Overall, I learned a lot in this one and really enjoyed the connection we had to some of the specific tigers AND scientists. Some parts did make me very sad (animal poaching obviously sucks and this is a reminder of how AWFUL humans are...) and I'll definitely be looking for similar reads to add to my tbr - both about tigers and other animal conservation topics in general!
Read
March 7, 2026I was almost certain that I was going to like this book even before I picked it up (metaphorically; I've read it on my Kindle), as I've enjoyed Slaght's previous book Owl's of the Eastern Ice tremendously. Let me say, this didn't disappoint either. In it Slaght tells how the Amur tigers (not a distinct tiger species but subspecies - there's only one species of Panthera tigris) returned to the forests of the Russian far east. Technically they were never entirely gone, but on the brink of extinction. The whole story starts in the 90s shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union, with an American scientist, Dale, traveling to the region north of Vladivostok to learn more about tigers. We get to be present whilst he, a handful of Russian scientists and some field assistants slowly figure out how to capture tigers, how to track them and how to protect them.
I've enjoyed this first half of the book the most gripping and interesting part. Even more so than Slaght's previous book. The second part takes a small step back from the field work and focuses more on organizational aspects and problems that cropped up in the early 2000s and 2010s in tiger conservation. This too was interesting to read about, but didn't manage to be as gripping as the stories taking place in the wild forests of Russia. The one thing, that I missed in this book was a clear picture of the current state of tiger conservation. In the early 2020s (or late 2010s?) the Americans involved in the project left the country, due mounting political pressure. Whilst this pressure gets acknowledged freely, there didn't emerge a clear picture of whether the future is likely to be promising for tigers or not. However, after our (Western) picture of Russia has been tinted negatively in 2022 (or arguably 2013), it was refreshing to read a more or less contemporary story which is written as apolitically as you can - without closing your eyes.
If you didn't already got it until now - read this book if you like tigers (or nature in general)!
I've enjoyed this first half of the book the most gripping and interesting part. Even more so than Slaght's previous book. The second part takes a small step back from the field work and focuses more on organizational aspects and problems that cropped up in the early 2000s and 2010s in tiger conservation. This too was interesting to read about, but didn't manage to be as gripping as the stories taking place in the wild forests of Russia. The one thing, that I missed in this book was a clear picture of the current state of tiger conservation. In the early 2020s (or late 2010s?) the Americans involved in the project left the country, due mounting political pressure. Whilst this pressure gets acknowledged freely, there didn't emerge a clear picture of whether the future is likely to be promising for tigers or not. However, after our (Western) picture of Russia has been tinted negatively in 2022 (or arguably 2013), it was refreshing to read a more or less contemporary story which is written as apolitically as you can - without closing your eyes.
If you didn't already got it until now - read this book if you like tigers (or nature in general)!
February 20, 2026
Any book that deals with one of my favorite subjects - cats, would rate quite highly, that is my disclaimer firstly. Though the study of Siberian (now known more appropriately as Amur) tigers has been covered famously by Peter Matthiesson and even National Geographic, this current publication is the most exhaustive and detailed yet. The author, himself fully immersed in the Russian Far East studying owls and joining the Wildlife Conservation Society's regional office, is intimately familiar with the cast of characters of the tiger program. And this story really revolves around one man - Dale Miquelle, without whom there would not have been a tiger program to begin with.
Dale was the key person, and the only one associated from beginning to end of the program's thirty year run from 1992 to 2022 or thereabouts. The book traces the research and conservation of this iconic beast, the largest cat in the world, from the early post Soviet days, through the ups and downs until its eventual decline with the increasingly xenophobic posture of Russian government today. The silver lining though, is that the technical expertise and positive attitude to protecting the tiger has been passed on successfully to the country, and even across the border in China things have turned around and tiger numbers have increased since the 1990s. The trials and tribulations of this pioneering study were well documented, from the difficulty of capturing specimens to collar to the subsequent reacquiring of the individual to re-collar, including darting tigers from the unwieldy Mi-8 behemoth of a helicopter while swinging from a harness! Late in the book the successful reintroduction of an orphaned tiger was covered in detail. This was new to me as I only knew about jaguar reintroductions in Argentina to date. It offers hope and guidance to future efforts at bringing tigers back to their former ranges where they have been locally extirpated, though the process is a long and costly one.
With the advent and proliferation of camera traps from the early 2000s the collaring of animals has become increasingly unnecessary and even frowned upon today, though it is true that only collars can provide the most intimate study of an animal's daily life, like its home range, frequency of kills and composition of diet. Unfortunately these are not known at all in their range where collaring has never been done. Indeed, these old school field biologists were lucky to have had the experience of carrying out radio and GPS collaring at the time when there were no viable alternatives like remote sensing.
The description of the tough lives of the people involved and the rugged but beautiful landscape make for good reading as well. There was one thing that stood out. Slaght mentioned twice that Primorye and environs are the only places where brown bears and tigers regularly encounter one another, but this also occurs in the Himalayas in Nepal and Bhutan. Quite puzzling that as a seasoned professional conservationist he would make this factual error, or did I miss something?
Dale was the key person, and the only one associated from beginning to end of the program's thirty year run from 1992 to 2022 or thereabouts. The book traces the research and conservation of this iconic beast, the largest cat in the world, from the early post Soviet days, through the ups and downs until its eventual decline with the increasingly xenophobic posture of Russian government today. The silver lining though, is that the technical expertise and positive attitude to protecting the tiger has been passed on successfully to the country, and even across the border in China things have turned around and tiger numbers have increased since the 1990s. The trials and tribulations of this pioneering study were well documented, from the difficulty of capturing specimens to collar to the subsequent reacquiring of the individual to re-collar, including darting tigers from the unwieldy Mi-8 behemoth of a helicopter while swinging from a harness! Late in the book the successful reintroduction of an orphaned tiger was covered in detail. This was new to me as I only knew about jaguar reintroductions in Argentina to date. It offers hope and guidance to future efforts at bringing tigers back to their former ranges where they have been locally extirpated, though the process is a long and costly one.
With the advent and proliferation of camera traps from the early 2000s the collaring of animals has become increasingly unnecessary and even frowned upon today, though it is true that only collars can provide the most intimate study of an animal's daily life, like its home range, frequency of kills and composition of diet. Unfortunately these are not known at all in their range where collaring has never been done. Indeed, these old school field biologists were lucky to have had the experience of carrying out radio and GPS collaring at the time when there were no viable alternatives like remote sensing.
The description of the tough lives of the people involved and the rugged but beautiful landscape make for good reading as well. There was one thing that stood out. Slaght mentioned twice that Primorye and environs are the only places where brown bears and tigers regularly encounter one another, but this also occurs in the Himalayas in Nepal and Bhutan. Quite puzzling that as a seasoned professional conservationist he would make this factual error, or did I miss something?
September 21, 2026
This book is an homage to not only the Amur Tiger but to the author's mentor, Dale Miquelle. Conservationists are like soldiers fighting a war. Austerity, deprivation, and danger being constant companions. They are peacekeepers between the local populace and wildlife. Slow and steady is the pace. Just phenomenal what was accomplished to include Chinese and Russian collaboration over tigers and leopards in a border area that had seen combat. Great color photos. Talk about making a difference.
July 9, 2025
A must-read for anyone who loves travel writing, wildlife, and remote landscapes. Tigers Between Empires beautifully blends scientific insight with personal adventure, offering a rare glimpse into the world of the endangered Amur tiger. Before reading this book, I knew very little about these elusive creatures - and even less about the tireless efforts scientists undertake to protect them. Slaght’s storytelling is both informative and deeply immersive, making this an eye-opening journey through one of the wildest corners of the world.
August 4, 2025
4.5 big stars for the big cats!
January 15, 2026
This book chronicles the life of the Siberian Tiger Project, a joint conservation project between Russian and American biologists. The books starts a little slow, as background information on political landscape and topographical descriptions of the far east Russian setting. Methods of tracking and capturing are broken down, and we await a catch. Once a tiger is collared, the projec, and book, take off. Moments where humans encounter tigers are written with such tension, their aura felt through the pages. To able to take that in in person must be a life changing experience. As the book goes on, you get to learn about these tigers, and all their unique personality traits. One long lived tigress by the name of Olga particularly captured mine and the Russian hearts, helping to push forward tiger conservation throughout the Russian far east. Seeing these creatures as neighbors rather than dangers was crucial to the project. Slaight, and the biologists, do a fantastic job with framing the tigers as creatures to be saved and admired, not persecuted and murdered. This was truly one of the most fascinating books i have ever read
November 11, 2025
I loved Jonathan C. Slaght’s debut about his fieldwork in the Amur region, Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl. His amazement with the natural world and wild creatures is truly contagious. This enthusiasm is also present in his new book. However, I found it to be slightly less engaging overall.
It chronicles the Siberian Tiger Project and tells the stories of all the scientists involved in this impressive program. I loved the parts that described in detail the daily realities they faced. However, because of the book's scope, some parts were dry, and I sometimes got lost among all the characters.
Still, if you are interested in this region and want to know more about Amur tigers, I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to the publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
It chronicles the Siberian Tiger Project and tells the stories of all the scientists involved in this impressive program. I loved the parts that described in detail the daily realities they faced. However, because of the book's scope, some parts were dry, and I sometimes got lost among all the characters.
Still, if you are interested in this region and want to know more about Amur tigers, I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to the publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
January 12, 2026
As a lifelong cat person, I’ve always believed all felines are majestic, unpredictable, and quietly judging us—but Tigers Between Empires takes that belief and scales it up to 400 pounds. Slaght tells the story of the Amur tiger with awe and intimacy, weaving together political history, conservation science, and vivid fieldwork in a way that makes these elusive cats feel both mythic and deeply real.
What really shines is the human side: the international team of scientists working through the collapse of the Soviet Union, brutal winters, and real danger, all for the chance to understand and protect a species on the brink. The book can be dense at times with ecological detail, but the payoff is worth it—especially when Slaght captures moments of tiger behavior that feel as intimate as watching your own cat stalk a dust mote… just with much higher stakes.
What really shines is the human side: the international team of scientists working through the collapse of the Soviet Union, brutal winters, and real danger, all for the chance to understand and protect a species on the brink. The book can be dense at times with ecological detail, but the payoff is worth it—especially when Slaght captures moments of tiger behavior that feel as intimate as watching your own cat stalk a dust mote… just with much higher stakes.
January 18, 2026
I'm pretty enraptured by the subject matter ("The Tiger" by John Valliant is one of my ten favorite books of all-time), but damn if this isn't a ripper. Slaght is a gifted storyteller, able to tell both the human and animal tales from the Russian Far East. I loved being in the world he has recreated here.
September 4, 2026
《Tigers Between Empires》写的是虎，但从满洲人的眼里看，它写的也是一块故土怎样被切开，怎样从完整的山林世界变成彼此分隔的边疆。
我更愿意叫它满洲虎。
它的故土不是后来所谓的“中国东北”，也不是“俄罗斯远东”。兴安岭以东，大海以西，白头山、鸭绿江和长城以北，直到北方山脉以南，本来就是一个连续的满洲世界。长白山、松花江、黑龙江、乌苏里江、锡霍特山并不是彼此孤立的地名。森林沿着山脉延伸，河流穿过平原，虎也沿着这些山林和水系世代活动。现代国界对它没有意义。
满洲人曾生活在同一套山林秩序里。虎不是普通野兽。它属于神山，属于密林，也属于满洲人理解土地的方式。人可以狩猎，却不能把山林只看成木材和耕地。虎能够长期存在，本身就说明这片土地还没有被彻底改造成另一种世界。
后来，这个世界开始破碎。
中国移民和农垦不断进入，森林被砍，土地被翻，村庄、铁路和城市向山林推进。满洲原有的人口结构、土地关系和生活方式随之改变。虎失去连续的森林、猎物和活动空间，满洲人也逐渐失去对故土的支配。虎退向山地，满洲也从现实中的政治和文化空间退入历史。
随后到来的红色政权又以另一种方式继续改造满洲。森林进入统一的资源体系，河流、土地、人口和地方社会都被纳入国家计划。旧有的语言、记忆和历史被压进更大的国家叙事。到这一步，满洲已经不只是被占据，而是被重新组织成另一种社会。
虎的命运与这一过程始终相连。它失去的不是抽象的“自然环境”，而是一片片真实的森林、一条条迁移通道、一群群鹿和野猪。满洲失去的也不是抽象的“传统”，而是能够承载这种传统的土地、人口和生活结构。
后来，人们把同一种虎分别称作东北虎和阿穆尔虎。这只是政治分割在语言中的余波。虎比这些名称古老得多。
它不知道什么叫东北，也不知道什么叫远东。它知道的是白头山的雪、乌苏里的水、松花江的河谷和锡霍特山的森林。它沿着祖先走过的山脊前行，而那些山脊曾经属于同一个满洲。
所以这本书最悲凉的地方，并不只是一个物种濒临灭绝。
真正令人难过的是，满洲被切开以后，满洲虎也被迫生活在别人划出的边界里。
可虎还在。
它仍然穿过积雪，穿过针阔混交林，穿过那些如今分属不同国家的山川。
它每走一步，都把被地图切开的满洲重新连在一起。
虎还在，满洲就还没有完全从大地上消失。
我更愿意叫它满洲虎。
它的故土不是后来所谓的“中国东北”，也不是“俄罗斯远东”。兴安岭以东，大海以西，白头山、鸭绿江和长城以北，直到北方山脉以南，本来就是一个连续的满洲世界。长白山、松花江、黑龙江、乌苏里江、锡霍特山并不是彼此孤立的地名。森林沿着山脉延伸，河流穿过平原，虎也沿着这些山林和水系世代活动。现代国界对它没有意义。
满洲人曾生活在同一套山林秩序里。虎不是普通野兽。它属于神山，属于密林，也属于满洲人理解土地的方式。人可以狩猎，却不能把山林只看成木材和耕地。虎能够长期存在，本身就说明这片土地还没有被彻底改造成另一种世界。
后来，这个世界开始破碎。
中国移民和农垦不断进入，森林被砍，土地被翻，村庄、铁路和城市向山林推进。满洲原有的人口结构、土地关系和生活方式随之改变。虎失去连续的森林、猎物和活动空间，满洲人也逐渐失去对故土的支配。虎退向山地，满洲也从现实中的政治和文化空间退入历史。
随后到来的红色政权又以另一种方式继续改造满洲。森林进入统一的资源体系，河流、土地、人口和地方社会都被纳入国家计划。旧有的语言、记忆和历史被压进更大的国家叙事。到这一步，满洲已经不只是被占据，而是被重新组织成另一种社会。
虎的命运与这一过程始终相连。它失去的不是抽象的“自然环境”，而是一片片真实的森林、一条条迁移通道、一群群鹿和野猪。满洲失去的也不是抽象的“传统”，而是能够承载这种传统的土地、人口和生活结构。
后来，人们把同一种虎分别称作东北虎和阿穆尔虎。这只是政治分割在语言中的余波。虎比这些名称古老得多。
它不知道什么叫东北，也不知道什么叫远东。它知道的是白头山的雪、乌苏里的水、松花江的河谷和锡霍特山的森林。它沿着祖先走过的山脊前行，而那些山脊曾经属于同一个满洲。
所以这本书最悲凉的地方，并不只是一个物种濒临灭绝。
真正令人难过的是，满洲被切开以后，满洲虎也被迫生活在别人划出的边界里。
可虎还在。
它仍然穿过积雪，穿过针阔混交林，穿过那些如今分属不同国家的山川。
它每走一步，都把被地图切开的满洲重新连在一起。
虎还在，满洲就还没有完全从大地上消失。
July 25, 2026
Near the end of the Cold War, there were a limited number of Amur togets still patrolling the wilds of Northeast Asia. The Siberian Tiger Project was founded and scientists from around the world to study tigers and learn how understanding together behavior could aid conservation efforts. For over 30 years, scientists tagged, tracked, and sometimes rescued tigers -their research adding invaluable knowledge to aid in conservation. Politics - both national and local complicated factors - and early on language barriers were serious obstacles - but over time, again and again, the hard work of these researchers made a significant difference in the future of this magnificent species.
July 16, 2026
I’ve acknowledged before that nature writing is not my specific cup of tea. That being said, I could do more of this!
Recommended to me by the great Spencer Hall I would say this book delivers on its promise. If you want to know the history behind Amur (Siberian) Tiger conservation this book will deliver that and the various amazing characters involved.
While this is neither beautiful prose nor riveting narrative throughout, the various moments and anecdotes will absolutely be worth your while.
Recommended to me by the great Spencer Hall I would say this book delivers on its promise. If you want to know the history behind Amur (Siberian) Tiger conservation this book will deliver that and the various amazing characters involved.
While this is neither beautiful prose nor riveting narrative throughout, the various moments and anecdotes will absolutely be worth your while.
May 31, 2026
Clearly I missed my calling to be a field biologist. This is the life I wish I was leading. Trudging through a snowy Russian forest tracking tigers.
June 13, 2026
Incredible and inspiring
July 18, 2026
Amazingly, there is good news for tigers to be found here, due to the long term sincere dedication and cooperation of a couple of dozen hardy scientists. And good news for tigers is good news for the world, imho.
February 18, 2026
I love when a book exceeds my expectations. This is the story of the siberian tiger project, which started in 1991 as a joint research project on Amur tigers (commonly known as Siberian tigers) by Russian and American scientists. The project spanned 30 years and was very successful in capturing, studying and assisting Amur tigers to expand their populations and enhance protection of the forests where they roam. The writing is exceptionally well balanced between describing the tigers, the biologists and other humans who interact with them, the larger political and social fabric of russian society that affects conservation, and the science. You don't have to be a nerd for wildlife and conservation biology to really enjoy this book, the chapters are short and usually revolve around an exciting capture or encounter with these amazing animals. However, if you are a nerd about this subject, you will appreciate how deftly the author describes the science and weaves it into the natural and human history is Asia. Like the people on this project, I was rooting for each and every tiger studied, they in fact won over many hearts and minds in Russia and China, a key to their recovery so far. The American scientists arrived in remote eastern Russia literally the week after the USSR collapsed in 1991, so as a bonus you may learn a whole lot about Russian history in the 2nd half of the 20th century- I certainly did. There are people all over the world working to understand and reverse the decline of species, and in many cases succeeding despite enormous odds. This book is a great synopsis of one such project and an example of the precarious but hopeful international human cooperation needed to save our precious biosphere.
March 1, 2026
Absolutely loved. Such a fascinating history of Amur tiger conservation in Siberia. A whole interesting side of Russia that we never normally get to see, and it wonderfully highlights the importance of science in conservation movements and how vital international collaboration is to further conservation as well
December 21, 2025
Slaght’s earlier book, Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl, was one of books of the year two years ago, and if anything, this is even better.
The focus of both books is on conservation, and Slaght’s writing itself is doing wonderful things for the cause. As in the best fiction, his characters have depth and the reader cares about them, and there is a plot which is addictive and a page-turner.
The location of both books is similar, the isolated town of Terney, neighbouring the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve in the Primorye province of southeast Russia, close to its border with China, across which the tigers cross, unsurprisingly unchallenged. The author is the Regional Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Temperate Asia Program, where he oversees WCS programs in China, Mongolia, and Afghanistan, and projects in Russia and Central Asia.
The elusive Siberian, or more correctly called Amur, tigers fight for their survival. Poachers are the most direct of threats, the logging industry is eroding their territory, and many political twists of the day determine their fate too. The book is in three parts, roughly dealing with each decade from the 1990s to the present. It concerns a handful of scientists, in particular, Dale Miquelle, a fearless and altruistic conservationist, who is described splendidly by Slaght.
There is tension throughout, from the process involved with tracking a tiger, to darting it to enable a health check and the placement of a GPS collar around its neck to track its moves. During the 30 year time period advances in technology make the tracking more accurate. Those in this line of work must also work with haste in a harsh, icy cold climate, with danger from bears as well as the tigers themselves.
Despite not being able to be in Russia for six years Slaght has managed to highlight the plight of Blakiston fish owls, and Amur tigers through his writing. Arguably, by raising awareness of the whole process of conservation through such excellent books is doing even more than he was when in situ previously.
Here’s a couple of clips..
and
The focus of both books is on conservation, and Slaght’s writing itself is doing wonderful things for the cause. As in the best fiction, his characters have depth and the reader cares about them, and there is a plot which is addictive and a page-turner.
The location of both books is similar, the isolated town of Terney, neighbouring the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve in the Primorye province of southeast Russia, close to its border with China, across which the tigers cross, unsurprisingly unchallenged. The author is the Regional Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Temperate Asia Program, where he oversees WCS programs in China, Mongolia, and Afghanistan, and projects in Russia and Central Asia.
The elusive Siberian, or more correctly called Amur, tigers fight for their survival. Poachers are the most direct of threats, the logging industry is eroding their territory, and many political twists of the day determine their fate too. The book is in three parts, roughly dealing with each decade from the 1990s to the present. It concerns a handful of scientists, in particular, Dale Miquelle, a fearless and altruistic conservationist, who is described splendidly by Slaght.
There is tension throughout, from the process involved with tracking a tiger, to darting it to enable a health check and the placement of a GPS collar around its neck to track its moves. During the 30 year time period advances in technology make the tracking more accurate. Those in this line of work must also work with haste in a harsh, icy cold climate, with danger from bears as well as the tigers themselves.
Despite not being able to be in Russia for six years Slaght has managed to highlight the plight of Blakiston fish owls, and Amur tigers through his writing. Arguably, by raising awareness of the whole process of conservation through such excellent books is doing even more than he was when in situ previously.
Here’s a couple of clips..
The path toward a future with Amur tigers across northeast Asia is clear. What remains uncertain is if we, as a global society, are able to see it through. Wildlife populations can be restored if we have the will to do so. This has been demonstrated with wolves in North America, brown bears in the Alps, and Eurasian lynx across Europe. In order to succeed, tiger conservation requires government agencies and national governments to be open, mutually respectful, and cooperative among themselves and across borders.
Amur tigers move freely across the Sino-Russian frontier; governments, NGOs, and civil society should follow suit, taking their lead from the tigers.
and
The zapovednik system of nature reserves dates to 1916, before the Russian Revolution, when the Barguzin Nature Reserve was established near Lake Baikal in central Russia. Kedrovaya Pad-the smallest of Primorye's four nature reserves, at 179 square kilometers-was established that same year.
Unlike national parks, which came late to Russia in the 1980s and encouraged use and enjoyment by the public, zapovedniks were the first protected areas anywhere in the world designated specifically for nature preservation and scientific study. The point of these reserves was to understand what nature looked like and how it functioned in the absence of human influences. No one was allowed to just visit them: rangers provided protection, and staff scientists came to study and monitor the natural ecosystems.
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