ongolian Marmot Crisis: Status of the Siberian Marmot in the Eastern Steppe

Abstract

Siberian marmots ( Marmota sibirica ) are important members of the Mongolian steppe ecosystem and local human economy. Recent declines in marmot numbers have forced the Mongolian govern- ment to ban marmot hunting for at least two years. The main objectives for this study were to develop a baseline understanding of current marmot distribution and density in the Eastern Steppe of Mongo- lia (Dornod, Sukhbaatar, and Khentii aimags). We conducted line transects across the Eastern Steppe during pup emergence from June through July 2005. These distance sampling surveys detected active and inactive marmot colonies (“burrow clusters”), marmots, and other wildlife (primarily carnivores, ungulates and raptors) along our transects; we used the program DISTANCE to estimate densities. Our density estimates, and particularly our population estimates, indicate a much more severe decline than noted in other published studies. We discuss our fi ndings on raptors, wild ungulates and mammalian carnivores in the context of other published and anecdotal information.

Keywords

• distance sampling
• keystone
• marmot
• Marmota sibirica
• Mongolia