First data of the winter mammal route census carried out by state inspectors of the Altaiskiy Biosphere Reserve on permanent mammal routes has been recently received.
All in all, there are 13 routes in the Reserve with a total length of 576km. The annual census of wild mammals is carried out in January-February in the Reserve pursuant to the forest management project.
The key condition for successful winter route census procedures is ample snow cover. Despite the dry 2011-2012 winter, the snow cover is sufficient for mammal footprint tracking, according to the winter route trackers.
Preliminary data suggests that the 162km №6 route (Bele cordon - Kokshi cordon – Karabel ridge – the upper reaches of the Koldor river – the Izhun river – the Samysh river - Iogach settlement - Karatash cordon - the Satuel river - Artalyk – the Oier river – Artalyk - Yailu settlement – Kokshi cordon – Bele cordon), is characterized by broad ungulate (hoofed mammals) movement geography, and that the snow is no obstacle for them. Maximum 32 inch snow depth is found in the bald mountain zone, while for the greenbelt this index stands at 24 inches. The largest number of Siberian stag footprints is found in the high mountain taiga, where they feed on piping hares’ burrow haystacks, grass under cedars and graze on meadows close to bald mountain zone (eating dry plant stems). Woody forage isn’t very popular with them. In low-hill terrains Siberian stags are rather sporadic, holding close to artificial (Teletskoye Hunting and Fishing Society) and natural soft (solonetz) soils. Hinds occupy wider areas than generally in the winter time, covering practically all taiga zone. Bulls are predominantly found at usual winter cluster points, feeding mostly on grass.
Apart from recording the number of mammal footprints found on the track, state inspectors of the Reserve (check-men) also carry out snow depth measurements, register traces of poachers’ presence and activity (find and eventually bust them), analyze the state of winter huts (their state and scope of repair) and tracks (passability, blockages).
NOTE
The first-ever winter route census procedures were carried out in the Altaiskiy Reserve in 1973 by a senior researcher V.V. Baskakov, who laid the first census tracks. In 1973 the tracks were 516km long, while by 1975 they reached a record high of 2,025km, and from that time on till 1991 they stood at 700 – 1,400km (V.N. Zakharchenko, 2010).
The article is written with the assistance of S.V. Chukhontseva, Deputy Director for Science