When we first booked our two one-day tours of Vladivostok, it was our travel agent Rada who suggested that we should undertake a day visit to the Primorsky Safari Park at Shkotovo, some 80 kilometers north-east of Vladivostok city. "I would definitely recommend doing the Safari Park tour to get to know the nature and the animals of Primorsky region.... One full day city tour and a tour to the Safari Park would make a perfect stay in Vladivostok and you'll be making the most of your time" she enthused.

We should not have been surprised. A dedicated environmentalist, and daughter of a leading Russian ornithologist, we knew we were receiving sound local advice. We were at the time however not quite so certain. We are not keen on zoos, nor do we like animals on any sort of display. But being cat tragics of all shapes and sizes, it was an opportunity to see much famed, magnificent Siberian (Amur) tigers. We also knew that the Safari Park was a refuge for endangered and injured animals, many of which would be released back into their native habitat. And anyway, we reasoned the drive to Shkotovo would be interesting in itself.

A 7.30 am pick up from our hotel was necessary for us to arrive in time to see the animals being fed. On an overcast and showery day, we sped through numerous sleepy villages toward our destination of Shkotovo. Many of the pitched roofed houses were painted in bright colours of pinks, blues, violets, yellows and greens. Was it intended to brighten them up for the long cold winters? Most housed overgrown rambling gardens filled with flowering deciduous trees, lilacs, lilies and a variety of soft herbaceous cottage garden species. The vast majority also grazed several dairy cows, and boasted large vegetable plots of sunflowers, maize, onions, potatoes and cabbages. Sergey informed the main way of living here was - amazingly in this day and age - through subsistence farming. A number of properties had also set up stalls selling fresh vegetables and flowers.

The surrounding forest was typically moist and lush, and densely vegetated. Like the surrounds of Vladivostok city, it seemed like the vegetation was making the very best of its short but warm summer season. 

The Safari Park was created in 2007 by biologist and wildlife photographer Dmitry Mezentsev. The 16 hectare park houses a wide variety of wildlife species of the Far Eastern Russian taiga in a natural forested setting, with the intent of allowing visitors to view the wildlife with minimal disturbance to individual animals. 

It comprises three sections housing tigers, deers and other wildlife, and birds. The park demonstrates the unique diversity of Primorsky wildlife and includes three Siberian tigers, one Far Eastern leopard, wolves (including the rare red wolf), Japanese racoon dogs, Asian black bears, Far Eastern forest cats, deer (including the Sika, Far Eastern reds, roe and musk deers), otters, badgers and wild boars. The extensive bird section includes hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, buzzards, pheasants and numerous other species.

The aims of the park are threefold: to help rehabilitate (and where possible release) injured or sick wild animals, provide education on wildlife and the environment; and provide a unique opportunity for visitors to view wild animals close-up, in a relatively natural environment.

Our first visit was to the tiger section of the park. We were part of a group of around 15 adults and children, led by a park guide. Our surly guide did not seem in the happiest of moods. Unsmiling, he barked in Russian at the visitors - and at us to make sure we kept up with the group - while Rada thankfully translated the kinder and more useful bits of information.

Siberian tigers were once found throughout Far Eastern Russia, northern China, eastern Mongolia and the Korean Peninsular. But by the 1940's, hunting as well as a loss of habitat due to deforestation, had driven the magnificent species almost to extinction, with fewer than 40 individuals remaining in the wild. Russia was the first country in the world to grant the tiger full protection. By the 1980's. the population began to increase and today, thanks to conservation efforts, the population is estimated to be around 550 individual tigers. The Primorsky Safari Park is party to various projects to protect and re-establish the Siberian tigers of Primorsky and each year contributes significant funding to the cause. 

The Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is a tiger subspecies and is one of the largest of the big wild cats, weighing up to 300 kilos and a body length of up to 3.5 meters. They have the widest roaming area of any of the big cats, mostly due to the cold environment and hence a lesser density of natural prey. The gestation period for Siberian tigers is between three to three and half months, with female tigers giving birth every two years. A litter consists of two to six offspring, with cubs staying with the mother until they are between two to three years of age.   

Our first sighting of a Siberian tiger was really quite breathtaking. And even more extraordinary, it shared its jungle like environment with a large, gambling, woolly grey dog. Initially, Tabaka the dog was recruited to act as a foster parent for Sherkkan as a young cub, but their relationship is now so firmly establishment that they have been left together to enjoy each other's company. Tabaka, Rada said, was now so protective of the young tiger that they have become inseparable. For true animal lovers, it was a touching story....

As we watched the unlikely couple play together, Rada told us about Sherkkan's father Amur and his unlikely friend Timur, the goat - an international sensation story romantically called "Amur and Timur" which had gone viral in both traditional and social media. The saga began when the unfortunate Timur was placed in the Siberian Tiger Amur's enclosure as a live food source. Thanks to Timur's intelligence (it has been described as confidence), the smart goat managed to establish a rapport with Amur who (I expect) was so surprised that he did not regard the goat as live bait, nor even as a threat. Apparently, the two established great friendship but after a couple of spats where poor Timur came off second best, the two were eventually separated on a permanent basis.

Not surprisingly, Rada was not keen on the promotion of such stories, nor of the immense publicity it received. Of course, the story of Amur and Timur had the same impact on its large social audience as it did on us. While highly supportive of efforts to rehabilitate and increase the population of these magnificent native tigers, it left us with the sickening realisation that environmentalists (and indeed all humans), are in the business of "Playing God". And while it is wonderful to make every effort to stop the extinction of the big cats, we are devaluing another animal's worth, and right to live, to do so. And who is to say that a goat's life is any less important than a tiger's? While we fully appreciate that the tigers must retain their hunting and killing skills if they are to be released successfully back into the wild, it does raise, at least with us, real ethical dilemmas. Admittedly, we have no answers. But I bet I would know what Timur would say.

The Safari Park was very professionally organised and we had to agree that the animal exhibits were very well presented and maintained. We were able to walk on an open mesh metal platform which was raised some meters above the tiger and bear enclosures, with full view of the animals below. 

We were even able to observe, if just briefly, the new and very timid rare Far Eastern (Amur) Leopard* as it finally emerged from its den within its steep rocky enclosure. A stunning looking animal, we were certainly privileged to see such beautiful cats in a natural, if relatively contained, environment.

 The Primorsky Seaside Safari Park - Deers, Bears, Forest Cats and Other Wildlife

The second tour within the park was the deer section, where a number of deer species roamed freely and mingled with the visitors. Obviously used to tourists, these Bambi-like exquisite animals calmly wandered around with us, occasionally asking politely for some food pellets supplied by our still grumpy guide. 

A particularly gentle deer caught our eye. She was apparently a rare hybrid and reminded us somewhat of a moose with her broad roman nose and rather comical presense. Like the other deers, she was friendly and courteous, and obviously a great attraction for the park.

Further on in the deer park we came across a Siberian musk deer. Saved from a poacher's trap, this timid little deer was still showing signs of past injury. The endangered musk deer is found in the mountainous forests of Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Primorsky and the Korean Peninsular. Hunted for their precious musk glands which are highly sought after for the perfumery trade, their populations have also declined due to habitat removal by deforestation. Concerningly, this fragile species can only survive in a very specialised and limited environment. They are now listed in Russia as a rare animal species.

The musk deers take about one year to mature. In the breeding season the males grow highly characteristic mouth tusks instead of antlers, which give them a somewhat comical Frankenstein appearance. The deer are totally herbivorous however, and the fang like tusks are for attracting females as well as intimidating other male deers. 

Our wanders around the park tour also included views of Asian black bears, as well as enclosures housing ultra cute, playful bear cubs, badgers, foxes and other wildlife. We are not used to bears - we have no real bears in Australia - but we had to admit they looked deceptively  charming and benign. 

One of the last exhibits housed Amur Forest cats. These agile animals strongly resembled domestic cats. With an uncanny resemblance to our own neurotic Siamese, they looked disturbingly agitated, patrolling their boundaries, obsessively rubbing their scent glands on the fencing and taking absolutely no notice of us, nor any other visitors. Rada assured us their restless, compulsive pacing was just typical behaviour of this type of wild forest cats. But for people used to cats, it looked to us like they were suffering from some form of serious stress. 

This section housed a huge variety of birds species. Some, as a result of severe past injuries would never be able to be released back into the wild, others were recovering and freed once they were fully rehabilitated. Some were able to fly freely within high, contained netted areas while others, for their protection were housed separately. We had to admit, they all looked very well accommodated and happy within their environment. They were the chosen fortunate....

 

Walking out of the Safari Park as our tour neared an end, we heard the unmistakable distressed bleating of a young goat. And no wonder, it was sounding upset. It was a sacrificial animal for one of the Amur tigers. Thankfully, for the goat (and the visitors), the tiger was not at all interested in the little guy who pathetically ran down the fence line toward us. Rada was horrified that it was in full view of the public - obviously, the live feeding of animals was not a key attraction nor a good look, for the park visitors and the little children..... 

But once again, it did stop us in our tracks and question the ethics of using live animals in what is undoubtedly a most cruel practice. I thought about that little goat for many nights after our tour.... And I still think about the practice.

Sergey met us for a casual lunch at a very pleasant nearby roadside cafe. Once again, our animated conversations covered a wide variety of topics. Eager to hear as much as we could about life in Russia, we once again plied our good friends with numerous questions, with which they answered frankly and informatively. It was another lunch where we learnt a lot, and were amazed again by some of Rada's and Sergey's comments.

Of course, we enthused about the beauty of the wildlife of the Safari Park - and apart from the goat episode, we did enjoy our visit. Rada and Sergey told us they were keen to travel at some later stage, when their business was more established. But when we suggested that they might like to travel to Australia and were welcome to stay with us, they were quite horrified, saying that Australia, because of its ferocious wildlife, was one of the most dangerous places in the world! 

We were quite flabbergasted, but since returning home, have noticed that many of the tourist advertisements for our country are loaded with photographs of huge crocodiles, venous snakes and red back spiders. It was the first of many such comments about our dangerous wildlife made by various Russian people we met on our travels. 

Our conversation concentrated once again on their people's life experiences following the extraordinary transition of their country to the current Russian Federation; the dissolution in 1991 of the former Soviet Union and a period which witnessed the demise of Russia from a world super power to a struggling nation.  In addition, it was to face the collapse of Soviet styled communism and the loss of the fourteen accumulated satellite republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. We had travelled to several of these former satellites and were fully cognisant of the extreme financial and economic impact Russia's collapse and desertion had on each of the newly independent countries. But we had little idea of the impact of this on Russia.

The Communist means of providing social services such as education, medical and housing for its people collapsed over night. During the Soviet era, each family was provided with an apartment according to their family size. A single child family would be given a one bedroom apartment; those with larger families, three bedrooms. All these socialist styled benefits ended when on Christmas Day 1991, the Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev resigned, declaring his office extinct and handing the government control to Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

Later Russia faced a devastating financial and economic crisis. Russia was broke. Food was rationed and people were issued with food coupons. Although Rada and Sergey were far too young to recall the actual dissolution, they experienced the difficulties encountered for the following decade by their family and every day Russian people. And as Rada and Sergey were to relate, the people were poor and hungry during this time and up to as late as the mid 2,000's. Our conversations, although sobering, were quite fascinating. We could well understand why for many years, their parents and even older Russians today, preferred the old Soviet days....

We were especially looking forward to our evening meal at our Hotel Astoria's Ogonek Restaurant. The attractively designed and furnished restaurant, located on the foyer level, is divided into two sections: an upper more private level, and a more informal downstairs area. The restaurant prides itself on preparing innovative dishes using local farm produce and simple ingredients. The extensive menu is excellent and includes a wide variety of seafood dishes. 

Our waitress ushered us to the upstairs area where she advised we would enjoy its more peaceful surrounds. She was right. It had a lovely ambiance. 

For a change, we had great difficulty in deciding what dishes to chose. Remembering the marvellous mushroom dish I had in St Petersburg some years ago, I opted for a very rich creamy field mushroom soup followed by a fresh crab dish. Alan chose again the spicy tomato soup and like me, chose the fresh crab as his main meal. Both were fantastic and the service was friendly and professional.

Looking down on a table in the lower section of the restaurant, we could not help but notice a large table of Japanese businessmen accompanied by two very awkward looking young Russian men, who were obviously hosting the meal. We spent many years during our working days hosting visiting Japanese friends and business associates. We were also extremely fortunate to have been provided with specialised expert advice in correct Japanese etiquette by an old Japanese friend and business colleague.

The organisation of dinner appeared to a disaster from the beginning. The all important "Head" Japanese businessman was left seated next to what appeared to be lower ranking staff - and shock horror - away from the entrance of the restaurant door, while the two Russian men sat opposite each other at the end of the table. Another major blunder. The dinner host must always be seated opposite the Head Man....and certainly not next to a lower ranking Russian staff member. The "Key Man" (always a carefully chosen staff member who usually takes full control of the evening - and everything associated with the gathering) ran anxiously from the Head Man to the host, topping up their glasses full of what appeared to be endless bottles of whiskey and raising toasts - many....

Needless to say, in a very short time, the Japanese guests were just about legless while the nervous hosts looked more and more concerned. Staff brought on plates and plates of food which the Japanese left untouched. More drinking took place while more food replaced the first uneaten course.

Two attractive young blonde Russian women suddenly appeared on the scene, both dressed to the nines in tight, revealing brightly coloured dresses and the highest heeled shoes. The Russian hosts looked even sicker....

More drinking took place with a very inebriated Japanese Head Man appearing very interested in the young women. Uneaten dishes were removed and replaced with more food. Meanwhile, the young women looked like they were having a great time, laughing and drinking heaps of straight whiskies. It was all quite entertaining. 

Fortunately for the women, the Japanese guests were so drunk, they were having trouble standing. Some were even having trouble staying upright in their seats.

We smiled and got on with enjoying our meal. We had seen it all before - many times. We just hope we were a bit more proficient about organising dinners for our own Japanese colleagues. As we left the restaurant we caught sight of the two young women, giggling loudly as they caught a lift down to the car park on the lower level. They had fulfilled all their duties as hostesses at the restaurant and were now free to leave - on their own and seemingly with no obligations....