Прошлое, настоящее и будущее сурков России. [Past, present and future of marmots of Russia. Passé, présent et futur des marmottes de Russie].

Résumé

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF MARMOTS OF RUSSIA V.I. Mashkin Vyatka State Agricultural Academy, Kirov, Russia: mashkin_v_i@ mail.ru In historic times all suitable territory of plakor zonal steppe, steppe and alpine mountain areas, where a large number of wild and domestic ungulates lived, were inhabited by marmots. Marmots’ resources were used intensively. During the period from 1880 to 1885 the maximum rate of harvesting was registered. Although the absolute numbers (3 million pelts a year) was argued by many researchers, but all of them agree that it was the period of the most numerous pieces of skins in the history of this craft. In the nineteenth and early twentieth century due to intensive uncontrolled harvesting and plowing of virgin lands steppe marmot and tarbagan disappeared in the vast areas and the total resources of marmots decreased tenfold. The number of tarbagan, gray and red marmot significantly decreased as a result of preventive anti-plague activities. Organized system of environmental protection, the rational hunting and intensive livestock farming in the 50-90 years of the twentieth century made it possible not only to keep livestock of marmots, but also significantly increase the number of European steppe marmot. From the status of "red book", marmots were transferred to the list of game objects. Livestock of forest-steppe marmot, Menzbier’s marmot, tarbagan, black-capped and gray marmots still was reducing because of uncontrolled hunting and poaching. The collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in a landslide social and economic disruption. In areas of marmots’ habitat repeatedly declined herd of cattle and small ruminants, resulting in significantly deteriorated protective (high grass) and feeding habitat of the steppe marmot. Reducing livestock of bobak noted in the Ukraine, Kazakhstan and several regions of Russia. The situation was aggravated by the massive poaching for all types of marmots from the sharp decline in living standards. Current resources of marmots in Russia are as follows: bobak - 348.4 thousand individuals, steppe - 13.7, black - 221.5, tarbagan - 81.3, black-capped - 155.3 thousand animals. The Future of marmots is alarming. Their fate is now entirely in the hands of man.