Along a river delta in Kazakhstan, tens of thousands of trees have been planted to restore a habitat that vanished decades ago.
The project aims to recreate a lush riverside forest, the kind of dense cover that large predators depend on.
The native Caspian tiger once thrived across Central Asia before hunting and habitat loss drove it to extinction.
Because that subspecies is gone forever, researchers have turned to its close cousin, the Amur tiger.
If the plan works, these powerful cats could once again prowl a region they have not seen for generations.
Reintroducing an apex predator is a huge challenge, requiring plentiful prey, safe territory, and public support.
Experts describe the effort as one of the most ambitious tiger reintroduction schemes ever launched.