Mykola Rozhenko — a famous zoologist and environmentalist (on the college’s 60th anniversary)

Abstract

A review of scientific and nature protection activities of M. Rozhenko is provided on the occasion of his 60th anniversary. His contribution into the development of faunistic investigations in the Northwestern Black Sea area is analyzed, in particular his research in ecology and dynamics of carnivores. M. Rozhenko recorded two new species for the Lower Dniester area (European badger and European pine marten) and one new species for the fauna of Ukraine (golden jackal), also justified the necessity of creation of a national nature park here to protect the region’s biota and to develop conservational initiatives. Working in Nyzhniodnistrovsky National Nature Park, M. Rozhenko pays a great attention to the popularization of nature conservation. Due to nature conversation actions, he managed to recover the commitment of local residents to the Park. During his work in the Park, in the Lower Dniester area a work against poaching has been carried out, and scientific research have been conducted (experiments on introduction of the Eurasian eagle owl, monitoring of rare species, etc).

Keywords

• Mykola Rozhenko
• theriology
• nature conservation
• Low Dnister