PRIMORSKY KRAI, RUSSIA — We all know tigers and humans don't get on very well — just look at The Jungle Book. But one tiger in Siberia defied its instincts, emerging from the wild to seek help for an injury.<br /><br />The Siberian Times reports that the endangered male Amur tiger, who goes by Tikhon, showed up at a remote border post between Russia and China on December 29.<br /><br />Russian border guards tried to scare him away by firing warning shots, but the big cat stayed put. He was still in the area five days later.<br /><br />When Tikhon helped himself to two guard dogs, the men noticed that the tiger seemed wounded. He was limping and crouching on his hind legs.<br /><br />Siberian tigers usually shun human contact, leading wildlife rangers to believe the atypical behavior meant this one had purposefully come for help.<br /><br />National park rangers decided to take the tiger in. They shot Tikhon with a sedative and used a truck to move him to a rehabilitation center for big cats.<br /><br />Tikhon is 15 years old, and an old man by tiger standards. He played a key role in helping the survival of his species, but may not be able to return to the wild again due to his old age.<br /><br />Experts are now waiting for test results so they can assess the big cat's injuries and diseases, and figure out what to do next.
