Novaya naschodka serogo sourka v zapadnom Sayane. [Nouvelle découverte de marmottes grises [M. baibacina) dans les montagnes de l'ouest du Sayan. A new find of grey marmot (M. baibacina Katsch.) in west Sayan mountains].

Résumé

For the first time marmot was found on the territory of the reserve in 1978. At the beginning of 1970-s nine marmots, called "tarbagan" by natives, lived here. In 1981 our workers tried to find and defined the species of this animal in the same area. However, they found only some burrows. Therefore, in preliminary list of the reserve (Sokolov et al. ,1983) mongolian marmot "tarbagan" (M. sibirica Radde) was included. In summer of 1989 we have done special investigation of extensive area. Two small settlements were found. In one of them on about1 ha area we counted 20 noninhabited burrows. According to the indirect data marmots didn't live there since, at least, 1986. Every year near this settlement horses of the visitors of sprint are tended. The second settlement is situated 1- 1,5km away from the first on an elevation about 2000m. Owing to break-down ship of relief this region is characterized by mosaic of fitocenoses. In the "nucleus" on an area of 100x50m we found 23 burrows, 11 of which are inhabited or visited (on the highest and dry plot), and 12 are not used, probably, wintery or spring. Some burrows are situated on the small plots with similar conditions on a distance about 200m from the "nucleus". In 1989 in the second settlement we observed two adult marmots. In 1990 we saw at the same place1 adult and 1 juvenile, and in 1991- 1 adult and 2 juveniles. Obviously, the population of this isolated settlement consist in members of one family, number of which is constantly on the extreme low level, and evidently, not than 3-4 individuals. We believe there is the grey marmot but no tarbagan.