Russian Airline Shows Its Stripes For Conservation

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The Siberian tiger has taken pride of place on the nose of a Jumbo Jet as part of a stunning design to help raise awareness of the animal’s plight.

Russian carrier Transaero has unveiled a special new livery featuring the face of the big cat on one of its long-haul Boeing 747-400 planes.

The aircraft, registration EI-XLN, has been painted to promote the conservation work of the Amur Tiger Centre, which has branches in Moscow and Vladivostok and helps to protect the endangered species.

Transaero says that the 447-seat plane, which will take passengers in the next few days, will also have sections of the interior cabin designed in a tiger theme with orange colouring.

Unveiling the jet at Moscow Vnukovo, Olga Pleshakova, the airline’s chief executive said it is hoped that the design will help awareness of the Amur tiger worldwide.

Amur tigers are the world's largest cats, according to Dublin Zoo, which keeps three of the animals - Ussuri, a young male, and 13-year-old sisters Zeya and Shilka - in their habitat located in the Fringes of the Arctic at the zoo.

They are also among the most endangered big cats, with just over 500 of the animals remaining in Russia, according to a 2015 survey cited by Transaero.

Although legally protected, the animals - also known as Siberian tigers - are still killed for their fur and body parts for use in traditional eastern medicines and as ornaments or charms, according to Dublin Zoo.

The Boeing 747-400, which includes the motto "Caring for tigers together", is designed to give a new impetus to debates on the protection of rare animals in Russia.

Passengers of 'Tiger flight' will have also an opportunity to watch documentaries filmed by the Amur Tiger Center as part of its inflight entertainment services.

"Only by combining efforts of people with the high sense of responsibility for the future of our planet, can we ensure a harmonious development of the present and future generations on the Earth," said Olga Pleshakova, CEO of Transaero.