A Siberian tiger fatally attacked a hunter in the Chuguyevsky district of Russia’s Primorsky Region, according to the regional Ministry of Natural Resources’ press service.

The incident occurred on February 15 in a forested area about 20 kilometers from the village of Izvilinka, The Caspian Post reports, citing TASS.

Officials said the victim was delivering supplies to a feeding site when the attack took place. Law enforcement authorities later identified the man as a sailor who had recently returned home between voyages.

Following the fatal encounter, a special task force made up of police officers, hunting inspectors and experts from the Amur Tiger Center was dispatched to track down the animal, the Primorsky Region Interior Ministry’s press service said.

Sergey Aramilev, director of the Amur Tiger Center, told TASS that the tiger may have been injured and could have acted in self-defense during the attack.