What was the other name for the extinct tiger subspecies, which inhabited the sparse forests and riverine corridors west and south of the Caspian Sea, from Turkey, Mesopotamia, Iran and the Caucasus, that has a project reestablishing populations of the Siberian tiger by introducing them as replacements to the extinct tiger?
Caspian tiger The Caspian tiger ("Panthera tigris virgata") is an extinct tiger subspecies, which inhabited the sparse forests and riverine corridors west and south of the Caspian Sea, from Turkey, Mesopotamia, Iran and the Caucasus, through Central Asia to the Takla Makan desert of Xinjiang in China, until the end of the 20th century. Depending on the region, it was also called Hyrcanian tiger, Turanian tiger, Persian tiger, and "Babre Mazandaran" (Persian: ‎ ‎ , Tiger of Mazandaran). It was one of the largest big cats to have ever lived and was described as being intermediate in size between Siberian and Bengal tigers.
Chyornye Zemli Nature Reserve Chyornye Zemli Nature Reserve (Russian: заповедник Чёрные земли ) (also) is a Russian 'zapovednik' (strict nature reserve) (In Russian, ""Black Lands""). It was originally created in 1990 to protect the saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica). The main part of the reserve is located in the Caspian Depression, northwest of the Caspian Sea. It was originally created in 1990 to protect the saiga antelope ("Saiga tatarica"). In the meantime the economy of Kalmykia collapsed and the numbers of saiga have crashed due to poaching for meat and horns (Chinese medicine) and desertification caused by overgrazing by domestic animals. The reserve also has colonies of egrets, cormorants, and rare pelicans. The reserve is situated in the Chernozemelsky District of Republic of Kalmykia. It was created in 1990, and covers 1,219 km² in two locations, with a 900 km² buffer zone.