（2018年2月4日）牙痛不是病，痛起來要人命，這句俗語顯然也適用在動物身上。俄羅斯東部一頭年約10歲的東北虎（又稱西伯利亞虎），因為牙病而無法正常進食而體力幾近耗盡，近日在雪夜登門罕見向人類求救。當地住戶發現後，緊急求救，專家正全力搶救。
根據《西伯利亞時報》（The Siberian Times）前天報導，事發於距離海參崴800公里、哈巴羅夫斯克邊疆地區的Solontsovy村莊。居民阿列克謝（Alexey Khaideyev）透露，起床後想到院子，卻無法推開門，好像有人在外頭壓住，他使出渾身解數，突然聽到一聲老虎的咆哮，嚇得打電話求救。
阿列克謝指出，這頭身形瘦弱的老虎對他充滿警戒，但也沒有要攻擊的舉動。
不久，緊急救援隊和動物專家趕來，給老虎注射鎮靜劑，把它轉移至康復中心，經檢查發現是頭10歲的雌性老虎，瘦弱、有嚴重牙齦問題，且上排牙齒全掉光，顯然因此只能靠撿食剩肉維生，難以在野外生存。
專家指出，老虎在檢查過程中相當安靜配合，相信它已精疲力盡，絕望之餘找上人類幫忙。專家說，它已吃含有抗生素的碎肉，但身體仍非常虛弱。
東北虎分布於俄羅斯東南部、北韓和中國東北等地，目前約只有500隻，瀕臨絕種。
阿波羅網責任編輯：秦瑞 來源：蘋果日報
Emaciated tiger walks out of the wild and lies down on family’s porch desperate for urgent dental assistance
An endangered tigress walked out of the wild into a village ‘to seek human help over a severe teeth and gum problem’.
Neighbours were shocked to learn the animal had lay quietly on the porch in front of a remote home, in what experts say must have been a ‘desperate last resort’.
The condition of the rare predator – one of about 500 Siberian tigers living in their snowy natural habitat in eastern Russia – was deemed severe and urgent action was needed.
The big cats – the largest in the world – normally shun all human contact, but it was clear the exhausted and emaciated animal could no longer eat and needed urgent dental assistance.
Galina Tsimano, who lives in far-flung Solontsovy – 3,915 miles east of Moscow – explained how her neighbour on the outskirts of the village found the unexpected big cat on his doormat in the early morning.
The tigers normally shun all human contact (Image: Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve/The)
「Alexey Khaideyev came across a tiger on his porch,」 she said.
「He wanted to go out to the yard in the morning, but his door was pressed by 『someone』 from outside.
「He began to push the door and heard a tiger growling.
「He went back inside and started calling all the emergency services.」
The tiger was found on the porch outside the house (Image: PRNCO ‘Tiger Center’/The Siberia)
The predator did not let him approach too close nor did it pounce on him.
Tiger experts are sure the predator was seeking human help as a desperate last resort.
An emergency team came and sedated the animal then moved it to a rehabilitation centre in Alekseevka village.
Here, specialists revealed it was around ten years old and female while also identifying an acute problem in the beast’s jaw.
「The tigress behaved absolutely peacefully, as if she was waiting for help,」 Sergey Aramilev, director of the Amur Tiger Centre, told The Siberian Times.
「Nevertheless, the condition of the rare predator is severe and it needs urgent action.」
The starving tiger needed urgent help (Image: PRNCO ‘Tiger Center’/The Siberia)
A fear that she had been wounded by poachers, a major threat to the survival of the species, proved unfounded.
「There were no visible injuries from firearms,」 he said.
「However, there are problems with her oral cavity.”
Conservationist Yury Kolpak, from Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources, said: 「The tigress is thoroughly exhausted.
「She has serious gum problems and there are no upper teeth.」
Vets are helping to solve the animal’s dental problems (Image: PRNCO ‘Tiger Center’/The Siberia)
It is likely her tiredness is due to being unable to eat properly, but the big cat is now feasting on ground meat.
「Now it is very important to provide the predator with qualified assistance.』」
Vets are looking for ways to solve the animal’s dental problems but she is currently not strong enough to be put under a general anaesthetic for major surgery.
「We really hope that the tigress will pick herself up and survive,」 said Aramilev.
『「For our part, we are doing everything possible.」