Russian hunters kill man-eating tiger

Associated Press, 12/23/97 13:04

MOSCOW (AP) - A government-sponsored hunting team shot and killed a tiger that was blamed for the deaths of two people earlier this month in Russia's Far East.

The tiger mauled and ate one man Dec. 3 and killed a second man on Dec. 15 in the northern Primorye region, an area along Russia's southeast coast. Following the second death, authorities formed a team of hunters to track down the tiger.

The team found and shot the tiger Monday, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday.

Russia's Far Eastern tigers are nearing extinction because of poaching and human activity in their forest habitat.