Reindeer of Taimyr and poaching

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I think that the article Victor Gurov, “the Country is not frightened poachers Hunting and hunting economy № 2, 2016) and Cyril Voinkova “Seven factors in the growth of poaching, a HORN No. 7, 2016) provide an objective assessment of the poaching. I have more than 40 years in contact with the hunters of Taimyr, and I care about once the world’s largest population of wild reindeer. In this regard, I decided to write this article.

The first aerial survey of the Taimyr population of wild reindeer was made in 1959. Then the population amounted to 110 thousand heads. The commercial stock of reindeer was identified in 6 thousand heads and provided for the production of indigenous small numbered people of the Peninsula.

Since the late 50-ies of XX century the hunters of the Extreme North agricultural research Institute carried out a comprehensive study of the biology of the Taimyr wild reindeer measures, optimization of their reproduction, paths of spring and autumn migration, implemented measures for the protection of the unique Taimyr population, including the fight with the wolf. Hunters, fishers and lovers of extracted grey predator with small aircraft. With the aim of sustainable development of the commercial stock of reindeer was carried out research on the development of rational methods of their production on water crossings and on land. All this contributed to a growth in the number of these animals, the extension of the annual area of 1.5 million km2, including the Taimyr Peninsula, North-East of Evenkia, partially gydansky Peninsula Yamal, North-Western suburb of Yakutia — the upper basin of the Vilyui, Olenka, Anabara. Due to this, the deer had a favorable feeding conditions.

Control over the number of animals, their protection was carried out using regular aerial surveys and due to the activities or Services of the harvest”, “Service alert about the migration of the wild reindeer, the activities of the “Northern group”, service Goskomrezerva, the public hunting inspectors, the organization of the reserve “Taimyr” and “Putorana”. This ensured positive dynamics of growth of number of wild reindeer and their fishing stock. Ten years after the first aerial survey of the population of the Taimyr population increased to 333 thousand heads, in 1978 to 475 thousand in 1986 — up to 595 thousand in 1990 to 625 thousand head, when following the optimal structure: adult males and 16.8 % females — 30 %, calves — 22.6 %, the young one or two years — 30,6 %.
It should be noted that during 70-ies and 80-ies of XX century the commercial stock of wild reindeer, according to the recommendations of the agricultural research Institute of the far North, effectively mastered the gospromkhoz “Taimyr” and agro-industrial Association “Arctic”. For the period 1971 — 1990, all the commercial farms of the Yenisei North and the population of the population was officially produced 1294,6 thousand wild reindeer.

The transition from administrative–planned economy to market relations caused the crisis in the hunting economy of Taimyr. Instead of state and gospromkhoz appeared small farms of different ownership forms with unsatisfactory technical equipment, financial security, the lack of professional staff, specialists. This completely stopped the activity, established for many years, supply-procurement system. Due to the lack of funding has suspended the “Northern group”, “harvest”, “Service alert about the migration of the wild reindeer, was nullified efficient work of the public hunting inspectors. Actually stopped a complex fight with the wolf. According to scientists Kolpashikov L. A. and Mukhacheva, A. D., “its numbers in the Yenisei North increased from 1.0 thousand head up to 3.5–4.0 thousand, Respectively increases and travi reindeer wolf. Currently in the region of the gray predators produce about 60-70 thousand tundra and taiga more than 5 thousand wild reindeer”. The aerial survey conducted in 2009, found that the number of the wild reindeer population has dropped to 485,5 thousand heads.

Currently on the Taimyr Peninsula there is no complete protection of these animals from the state. After all the reorganizations and reductions in service Goskomrezerva here is preserved the territorial division of the three Rangers of the regional service whose activities are carried out in the square 884,4 km2, which does not allow to speak about efficiency of work. With the orders of the RF MNR to restrict hunting, ban on harvesting deer do not take into account the biological characteristics of reindeer and climate conditions of the far North.

Candidate of biological Sciences, specialist in the Taimyr population of wild reindeer A. M. Shapkin (2014) writes: “the production Quota in the hunting season 2013/2014 in the secured grounds of hunters is on the Taimyr Peninsula 28.7 thousand heads, in Evenkia 5.3 thousand How many actually produced the Taimyr wild reindeer for the entire hunting season on the Taimyr Peninsula, in the neighboring Evenkia and in the North-West of Yakutia, has no idea nobody. In addition, since March 2012, in excess of the assigned limits indigenous peoples leading a traditional way of life and living in places of their traditional residence and economic activities, allowed to produce for personal consumption 8 wild deer per person. Such Taimyr there are less than thousands.”

Recall that in the 80 years of the twentieth century only the gospromkhoz “Taimyr” was mined annually according to the quota of 38.6–45.9 thousand wild reindeer.

Economically and socially unjustified transition to a market economy led to a decline in the population of the Taimyr population of wild reindeer, their fishing stock, the uncontrolled development that adversely affects the socio-economic situation of indigenous peoples of the region.

The transition to a market economy due to the prevailing conditions contributed to the development of poaching in the habitat of the Taimyr population. Today poachers have rifles multiply, snegohodnomu great technique, great equipment. They cut down the antlers with an axe or heavy cleaver, together with frontal bone. In this way mined tons of antlers and killed a large number of highly productive males. According to the expert estimation of doctor of biological Sciences, chief specialist of the Taimyr population of wild reindeer L. A. Kolpashikov annually by poachers is removed from the population to 100 thousand animals. The scientist said: “the Police starts criminal proceedings, but they quickly closed. The result is catastrophic fall of number of the Taymyr population. In 2014, the proportion of calves of the year in the whole population amounted to 11-13 %. Such share was never in the entire history of the study population. Just knock out the gene pool of elite males, and in the fall selective adult females and males.

A. M. Shapkin (2014) draws attention to the following: “left to drift uncontrolled and irrational use of resources of the Taimyr population is quite predictable over time, undermine its reproductive potential. Decreasing the number of Mature females in the population in some of the reproductive season can not cover excessive fishery harvesting, followed by the inevitable decline in animal numbers and we’ll get back to the days when to get wild reindeer on the Peninsula only allowed the indigenous population to meet the”personal use”.

The government of the Russian Federation in March 2009 there was adopted the Federal concept of sustainable development of indigenous peoples of Russia for the period up to 2025. Given that the resources of the Taimyr population of wild reindeer plays a vital role in livelihoods and socio-economic situation of these peoples (Dolgans, Nenets, Enets, Nganasans, Evenks, evens), you need to take the regional program “Preservation and measures for the protection and rational use of the Taimyr population of wild reindeer,” with the requisite funds from Federal and regional budgets. Implementation of this program will allow you to maintain the unique Taimyr population of wild reindeer at the optimum level.

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