State of the marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna) population in southeastern Ukraine

Abstract

The article presents summarized materials concerning the records of the marbled polecat during the last decades, a rare mammal species of the steppe fauna in the Pryazovia and in the Central Donbas. Analysis of the quantity, time and places of findings of this species demonstrates an increasing in their abundance. Relationships with the man, peculiarities of seasonal and daily activity, diversity of biotopes inhabited in the first decades of the XXI century were described. The greatest attention was paid to possible causes of prolonged depression of the marbled polecat abundance in the second half of the XX century. In the authors’ opinion, the most influence have had the intense grazing and overgrazing of large and small cattle, accompanied by herding dogs without muzzles in the remains of virgin steppe regions such as the southeast of Ukraine. Authors propose tested methods of census of the marbled polecat and methods of identification of its places of residence. In addition, they also propose educational and nature protection events for the media and farmers to avoid capture or death of marbled polecats.

Keywords

• Vormela peregusna
• state of population
• steppe
• Southeastern Ukraine