Logger Feared Dead, Possibly Mauled By Huge Tiger When Call Of Nature Came

A 41-year-old man who temporarily left his place near a logging site in Khabarovsk region in Russia is feared to be dead.

The man who was identified as Mikhail Shabaldin is missing and disturbing video footage and discoveries at the scene suggest he was attacked by a tiger.

The video, reportedly taken by a colleague at the site, showed bloodied clothes, shows and other stuff believed to be the possession of the missing 41-year-old logger. Other than that, tiger footprints were also spotted at the scene, something that negates theories that it may have been a brown bear responsible for the attack.

It is believed that Shabaldin, married, was attacked during his 15-day shift at the site when he went out to use the toilet. Toilet paper was also found at the scene.

A search for Shabaldin is underway although the hope of finding him alive looks grim. His wife, Elena, had been informed about the incident.

Friends of Shabaldin claim that the 41-year-old was attacked and killed by a tiger. They go on to add that his body has yet to be found while also admitting that many loggers were afraid of encountering the mammal. They barely have means of protection and do not carry guns.

"Tigers are a frequent sight there," he said. "Everyone knows about this."

Despite the glaring evidence, Sergey Aramilev, general director of the Amur Tiger Center said that it is too early to conclude if a tiger did maul Shabaldin.

"Although the predator is the king of the taiga, it is afraid of 'two-legged animals’,” he stated. "A wild beast that attacked a human is usually removed from the wild. Then the experts make a further decision regarding the fate of the animal."

The Amur tiger is reportedly recovering in the wild after almost becoming extinct in the late Soviet era due to poaching. There are less than 700 in the wild and numbers are now allegedly recuperating with both Russia and China taking action to stop poaching.