The dynamics of hunting mammal species populations in Yakutia during the 20th century

Anthropogenic influences have emerged as significant ecological drivers affecting the survival of various animalspecies in the 20th century. Numerous researchers have demonstrated that climate warming and anthropogenic disturbances – including the degradation of ecological barriers – have facilitated the northward expansion of new avian and mammalian species. Concurrently, these anthropogenic pressures exert several detrimental effects. We conducted a comprehensive study on the population trends of some game mammal species in Yakutia. Data collection has been ongoing since 1962 and employs standardized ecological methodologies, including transect surveys, short-term observational protocols, and stationary work, which are typically conducted simultaneously at three to four sites. Ecological monitoring encompassed all seasonal cycles. Aerial censuses of moose, tundra populations of wild reindeer, and brown bears were conducted throughout the entire territory of Yakutia. Furthermore, structured interviews with commercial hunters and analyses of hunting statistics spanning from 1935 to 1985 were undertaken. Throughout the 20th century, fluctuations in population abundance and demographic dynamics were observed among key game mammal species, including the mountain hare, Eurasian red squirrel, wolf, brown bear, moose, and wild reindeer. The population density of the river otter remains critically low, while the red fox, Eurasian lynx, and wolverine maintain low but stable populations, with no discernible contraction in their distribution ranges. A disturbance in the sex and age structure of the wild reindeer population has been identified. The primary factor regulating the population dynamics of the mountain hare, large carnivores, and ungulates has been determined to be hunting pressure. The underlying causes of the population decline of the Eurasian red squirrel remain unresolved. This research has facilitated the refinement of species distribution maps, including the northernmost range limits of the brown bear. The absence of rigorous conservation measures presents a significant threat to certain mammalian taxa, such as the Sundrun population of wild reindeer.

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