Current distribution and population of Menzbier’s marmot on the southern slopes of the Chatkal ridge. Sovremennoe rasprostranenie i sostoyanie tchislennosti sourka menzbira na iujnykh sklonakh tchatkal’skogo khrebta. [Répartition actuelle de la population de marmotte menzbier sur les pentes sud de la chaîne du Chatkal].

Résumé

Menzbier's marmot (Marmota menzbieri Kashkarov) - is a relict endemic species in the West Tien Shan. Even today, in spite of the prohibition of hunting for Menzbier's marmot its population and habitat tends to reduce. From July 29 to August 28,2001, field studies were conducted in an area adjacent to the Maidantal site of the Chatkal nature reserve in the upper reaches of the Kizilcha, Djanaryk, Kelimchek rivers, where we carried out overall counts of marmots and their holes within an area of 21 sq. km. This work was supported by GEF and WB. The counts showed that marmots have decreased in number, particularly over the Iast years. According to Mashkin V.I. and Baturin A.P. (1993), 20 years ago a density of population on the southern slopes of the Chatkal ridge was 8-10 families, an average of 2-3 families (2-12 animals per family) per one sq. km. Nowadays, within the area under study, the quantity of marmots ranges from 1.92 to 4.72; 3.4 animals per square km on the average. Therefore, an area of 15 sq.km, from the upper reaches of the right tributary of the Kizilcha river to the upper reaches of the Ieft tributary of the Kelimchek river, is inhabited by 51 marmots. 66 holes were counted there. 35 of the holes (53.0 percent) were inhabited, 22 (33.3 percent) holes had developed centers, cleared entrances and traces of animals' activity though the animals themselves did not appear during a two-day observation, and nine (13.6 percent) holes were found uninhabited. Of special concern is the fact that in each of 28 (80 percent) holes only one mature marmot was found. Three (8.58 percent) holes were found to be inhabited by two mature animals. Disastrous situation concerns the presence of young animals in the marmot colonies. Only in two holes (!) marmots under one year (two in one and one in another) were found together with mature animals. Our studies also showed that for the last 20 years the lower isohypse has moved 200 rn up from 2,600 rn to 2,800 rn a.s.l. The Iowest hole was found at downstream of the right tributary of the Kelimchek river at 2,800 rn a.s.l. If no urgent Menzbier's marmot conservation measures are taken its population and habitat will continue to reduce.