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Pallas Cat Study and Conservation Program |
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Siberian Last updated:
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PROJECTS The cat in a steppe: what is known about Pallas cat status in Russia? Anna Barashkova (SibEcoCenter, Novosibirsk) Pallas' cat is the only cat species widespread in Eurasian steppes. Unfortunately as most cats and a plenty of steppe carnivores Pallas' cat fell in the threatened species list. It is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN and is ranked as a CITES Appendix II species. Pallas' cat was inscribed on Red Data Books of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and China. There is a north part of its range in Russia and Kazakhstan. As far as back as at the beginning of 1970s Pallas' cat inhabited almost all steppe part of Kazakhstan and its area reached eastern boundaries of Chita region. Before hunting prohibited Pallas' cat was bagged everywhere. There was a tendency to decreasing of pelts number obtained. The main purveyors of skins were Tyva republic (Tyva) and Chita region, to a lesser degree - Altai republic (Altai), Buryatia republic (Buryatia), and Kazakhstan. By the late 1970s Pallas' cat ceased to be found in much of Kazakhstan. Its area decreased in Altai, Buryatia, and Chita region. Pallas' cat has disappeared from Khakasia republic (Khakasia) only 10-15 years ago. The interviewing made in 1989 and 1991 by the Central Research Laboratory (CRL) of State Department for Hunting (Moscow) showed that Pallas' cat number has substantially declined in Russia recent years. We can not say something clear about Pallas' cat number and distribution nowadays because its countings never conducted and if did they were occasional and not everywhere. Almost all available data on Pallas' cat number and distribution in the former Soviet Union were obtained more than 30 years ago. Meanwhile the disastrously fast and deep landscape transformation concerned agricultural collapse has occurred in Pallas' cat habitats in 1990-2000s. Taking into this consideration the existing estimations can not help to clarify species modern status in Russia and Kazakhstan. Preliminary estimation may be based on few investigations, which had place in some regions after 1991. Chita region A group of zoologists from Daurski Biosphere Nature Reserve and Chita Institute of Natural Resources of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science (SB RAS) have conducted several expeditions to the main Pallas' cat habitats of Chita region in 1992-1997. Data on Pallas' cat distribution and number has been obtained. Researchers have determined modern species area in the region, and have analysed the character and reasons of changes in distribution structure, which took place during last decades. The patterns of biotope distribution have been revealed. The researchers have made an attempt to determine Pallas' cat absolute quantity. They have noted that there was a tendency to stabilization of Pallas' cat number in Chita region by the late 1990s. By their calculations there lived about 2400-3000 Pallas' cat individuals in South Eastern Zabaikalye at the end of 1990s, and this number reached 12-25 thousands in 1940-1950 (data on annual harvests analysing). Pallas' cats have been almost exterminated in the plain steppes. It is noticed that there is a tendency to increasing in Pallas' cat number last years. The main reasons of it are cutting down of livestock sites, decreasing of steppe fairs and poaching. The territory protection was intensified in Daurski Nature Reserve that is one of few national nature reserves and special protective territories where Pallas' cats live. Thus, the protective zone of this reserve was enlarged, and the new cluster of it was established in 2004. This new cluster named "Adon-Chelon" represents outcrop area which Pallas' cats inhabit in abundance. The reserve's administration is going to establish new protective territories for saving rare species including Pallas' cat. In addition the Hunting Agency of Chita region has created a special group of rangers to protect the steppe parts of region from pouching. Pallas' cat is listed as a rare species with number declining in the regional Red Data Book (Chita region and Aginski Buryatski Autonomous District), 2000. Buryatia The laboratory of animal ecology of Buryatia Scientific Center SB RAS has conducted some Pallas' cat snow-tracking in 1998-1999. This research has confirmed Pallas' cat presence in Bichura, Kyahta, Jida, and Selengha districts. However the further careful investigations have not been organized because of lack of financing. We can only guess about Pallas' cat population status in Buryatia. All noted information about Pallas' cat population you can find in the regional Red Data Book published in 1988. Before hunting prohibited in 1975 (the time of creating Red Data List in the USSR) Pallas' cat was bagged everywhere in Buryatia. Annual harvests reached sometimes 1500 pelts (at the end of 1940s; non-official data). Usually it amounted to tens end even hundreds. Harvest decreased to only a few by the middle 1970s. Unfortunately we did not find Pallas' cat counting data in the hunting agency of Buryatia, they did not remain. We can suggest Pallas' cat number decreasing according to pelts number dynamics that is not positive. The number of bagged Pallas' cats has not been tracking after species hunting prohibited, though Pallas' cat poaching did not stop (and take place nowadays). Naturally Pallas' cat became non-hunting species after red listing. Hunting agencies stopped to conduct compulsory Pallas' cat density estimations (countings) in nature. The duties on control rare species were handed over to Ministry of Natural Resources of Buryatia (as well as of other Russian republics). Though this institution does not have appropriate staff to do countings and does not have necessary funds to engage specialists. That's why there are no investigations at all. By the CRL's calculations Pallas' cat number was only 50-70 by the early 1990s. Our interviewing zoologists, hunters and local people has verified Pallas' cat findings out in steppe parts of Buryatia districts listed above as well as in Mukhorshibir and Ulan-Ude ones. Obviously Pallas' cat number has been increased during last years. It was concerned with shortening livestock sites and the fact that Pallas' cats usually prefer to live in marmort's settlements. Marmot's quantity is rather high in Buryatia so we can suggest that Pallas' cat number must be not much less than it is in the neighbor Chita region. At the middle 1980s a mountain Pallas' cat population was discovered in Tunkinskie Goltsy range (the Eastern Sayan, western part of Buryatia). The zoologist Dmitry Medvedev informs that Pallas' cats and their tracks are sometimes found out in the central and eastern parts of the range. Pallas' cat density is estimated in 0,2-1 individuals per 100 square kilometers there. Pallas' cat inhabits Tunkiskaya valley but rarely seemingly there are only occasional comings. Were Pallas' cat live here earlier or he appeared here recently is not known. There are only isolated instances of obtaining Pallas' cats in Tunkinski district in the early 1950s (Buryatia Hunting Agency's archives' data). Pallas' cats live in some game reserves (e.g Borgoiski game reserve in Jida district), but they do not provide their protection. Pallas' cat is listed as a rare species (category 1) in the Red Data Book of Buryatia. The new edition that will be published soon additionally includes only information about discovering Pallas' cat in Tunkinskie Goltsy. As before it is necessary to conduct species inventory in the region. Tyva Tyva is the only region where Pallas' cat countings were conducted after entering it in the red lists. Pallas' cat number and distribution was studied by the Siberian Research Institute of Hunting and Animal Breeding SB RAS (Krasnoyarsk city). Since 1991 Tyva branch of this institute has been developing district state cadastre of hunting animals including Pallas' cat. By its calculations Pallas' cat number in Tyva was stably about 900-1080 in 1983-1993. In 1995-1996 it was about 1670 individuals. Countings being conducted by environmental organizations, data of antiplague stations, and interviewing local people showed that territory Pallas' cat inhabit has been essentially enlarged. Pallas' cat number was increased to 1300-1500. In 1998-1999 a special research "Number, distribution, and some aspects of ecology of Pallas' cat in Tyva Republic" has been planning. This research has been conducting in the framework of the state program "The monitoring status of rare species of Tyva Republic", and was organized by the State Committee of Environment Preservation of Tyva Republic jointly with Tyva Institute for Exploration of Natural Resources SB RAS, and Tyva State University. The aim of work was determined as "creating data bank on species and its habitat state to accomplish practical task of scientific ensuring monitoring". This research work planned to interview local people using the specially developed questionnaire, to conduct snow-tracking and density estimation, and to set up permanent sites for study Pallas' cat ecology and behavior in the main habitats (generally situated in the nature reserve "Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina"). Though the declared research work has never been done. Tyva always was one of main purveyors of Pallas' cats for sale. Nowadays it continues to be an exporter of not only illegal poached but also alive Pallas' cats (to national and foreign zoos in general). Hunting farms of Tyva are sometimes requested to catch Pallas's cats by different organizations including Novosibirsk and Moscow zoos. Apparently it is the main reason of that Pallas' cat number is estimated in the region (to allow some percents catching). Pallas' cat is under protection in the nature reserve "Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina" and is listed as being regenerative in the Red Data Book of Tyva (2002). Krasnoyarsk region Pallas' cat inhabits comparatively not great territory of Krasnoyarsk region. This territory sides with Tyva Republic. Pallas' cat is listed as an undefined species in the Red Data Book of Krasnoyarsk region (2000). This species is not studied here in fact. In one's time Pallas' cat was included to the regional Red Data Book on the grounds of its single finding out in the Enisey valley (1980). After that Pallas' cat tracks were seen again. Thus, according to employees of the nature reserve "Sayano-Shushenski" Pallas' cat permanently lives on the reserve's territory. But nobody studies him. Probably its total number does not exceed several individuals. Khakasia In Khakasia Pallas' cat inhabited steppe territories and has disappeared from the main part about 10-15 years ago. A few Pallas' cats are met only near Tyva boundary. Pallas' cat was inscribed in the Red Data Book of Khakasia in 2004. Apparently the species disappearing was a consequence of agricultural developing and over-hunting especially as the territories Pallas' cat inhabited were small enough. At the same time the marmots were no more too and it also could be the reason of Pallas' cat disappearing. Nowadays the State Committee of Ecology of Khakasia Republic discusses a question of returning Pallas' cats and marmots to the steppes of Khakasia. It is not known would it succeed in returning these rare species. At least it is necessary to do a big work on investigation of territories appropriate for further reintroduction. Altai The Red Data Book of Altai Republic informs that there have never been the Pallas' cat countings in the region. By the CRL's calculations Pallas' cat number was about 200-300 in the early 1990s. Though Pallas' cat hunting is prohibited he is captured together with hunting species for example during the hunts on marmots. According to environmental and hunting agency's officers, interviewed zoologists Pallas' cat became very rare in the Altai mountains and continues to decline in a number. Pallas' cat lives in the periodically functioned Kosh-Agachski game reserve. The zone of silence "Ukok" that existed in 1995-2004 had limited access and did not protect Pallas' cat in fact too. Would the nature park been created here recently ensure species conservation is not clear yet. Pallas' cat is listed as a rare species with number being declined (category 2) in the Red Data Book of Altai Republic (1996). The territory Pallas' cat inhabits in Russia is only a small part of its global area that occupies wide territories of Asia. But there is no correct information about Pallas' cat number and distribution in the world. They consider Pallas' cat to be a widespread species in Mongolia, Russian neighbour country. But there were no Pallas' cat countings here. Nowadays there are some research places in Mongolia where Pallas' cat ecology and behaviour are studied. Though both the Mongolian Ministry of Natural Resources and zoologists have not an information about Pallas' cat number and distribution in the country. Before hunting prohibited in 1988 Mongolia was the primer exporter of Pallas' cat pelts. It was exported about 50000 pelts from Mongolia at the beginning of XX century. This amount has declined to 5-9 thousands (according to different sources) by the late 1980s. In spite of been hunted prohibited Pallas' cats are poached nowadays too. Unfortunately no measures are taken to protect species outside protective territories as well as very often inside them. We almost have not information about modern Pallas' cat state in Kazakhstan. It is listed as a rare species in the regional Red Data Book last edited in 1996. It asserts that Pallas' cat area has not changed. But even at the end of 1970s there appeared data about Pallas' cat disappearing from South Altai range and that it is at a risk of extinction in the Aral lake surroundings. Pallas' cat wide in the old day's area in Kazakhstan is represented as a big blank space (Nowell, K., Jackson, P. 1996. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan: Wild Cats). According to some zoologists Pallas' cat state in Kazakhstan has not improved for the last years. This cat species probably does not occur in the big part of its area yet (especially in the country's western part). There were no special investigations on Pallas' cat population in Kazakhstan during at least last 30 years. |
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