Current distribution of long-tailed marmot in Uzbekistan. Sovremennoe rasprostranenie krasnogo sourka v Ouzbekistane. [Répartition actuelle de la marmotte à longue queue en Ouzbekistan].

Résumé

In Uzbekistan, long-tailed marmot (Marmota caudata Geoffroy, 1892) inhabits two isolated areas - the Western Tien Shan and Pamiro-Alay. The eastern and north-eastern border of its habitat runs across the Western Tien Shan mountains and includes the Pskem, Ugam and Maidantal ridges (the Maidantal, Bodaksay, Choralma rivers, and the Oigaing river basin), as well as the southern slopes of the Chatkal ridge facing the Fergana valley (Saldyrmasay, Chanachsay, Nanai). Also, long-tailed marmot was found near village Soh on the northern slopes of the Alai ridge in the Fergana valley. The Pamiro-Alay part of long-tailed marmot\'s habitat includes the western spurs of the Gissar ridge along the Kizildarya, Tanhazdarya, Aksu, Tamshush, Sangardak, and Handiza rivers. Though, in the past it was recorded in Baisuntau, this data now needs to be confirmed. The habitat of long-tailed marmot has expanded during the last decade. Its lower border moved down for more than 10 km. In 2002, resettling marmots were observed in the close vicinity of hydro-post Maidantal, tract Karanghi- Tugai (1414 rn a.s.l.). In spring 2003, we saw marmots living at the left bank of the Pskem river at a record-breaking low altitude of 1,377 rn a.s.l. In 1985-1990, a lower border ran near mouth of the Beshtor river, the tributary of the Oigaing river, at 1800 m a.s.l. Moreover, a permanent residence of marmots was observed at the left bank of the Charalma river, near the place where it flows into the Oigaing river. In Pamiro-Alai, a habitat oflong-tailed marmot is shrinking. A lower border of the species\' habitat was at midstream of the Kizildarya river, at 2000 rn a.s.l. During the last decade this species has disappeared in the upper-rivers Djindidarya, Igrisu, and Kalasay. In 1992, we investigated the long-tailed marmot colonies at the left bank of the Kalasay river, at 3500 rn a.s.l. (Vashetko et al., 1996). This territory was intensively used for livestock grazing. We could observe the movement of sheep herds, found lost traps near marmot\'s holes, and numerous hidden dwellings of poachers. At present, long-tailed marmot has been completely exterminated in the area, as well as in the upper-river Igrisu towards the border of the Gissar nature reserve and a watershed ridge between the Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya provinces. Uninhabited and partially destroyed burrows oflong-tailed marmot were still remaining here.