Moscow, Feb 23 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Environmentalists in Russia's Primorye region in the far east have rescued an orphaned Amur tiger cub.

The six-month-old male cub was trying to hunt in the taiga, but was doomed due to his young age and weakness, said Vladimir Vasilyev, the Primorye wildlife protection department chief.

"The tiger cub is very active and put up a fight," Vasilyev said, adding that specialists tracked the animal for three days before they caught it.

The cub will be examined by veterinarians and then sent to a rehabilitation centre.

According to the administration, the cub could be a brother of a six-month-old tigress, which was rescued from a trap about 10 days ago not far from the place where the cub was found.

The Amur tiger was put on the list of endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The population of Amur tigers, one of six tiger sub-species found only in Russia's far east and in some areas of northern China, currently numbers some 450 animals.

Experts estimate that from 30 to 50 Amur tigers are killed by poachers and irresponsible hunters every year.