title

Distribution and abundance of the European mole (Talpa europaea L.) in the northern part of the Donetsk Region

author(s)

Skubak, E.

affiliation

Sviati Hoty National Natural Park (Sviatohirsk, Ukraine)

bibliography

Proceedings of the Theriological School. 14 (2016): 95–98

DOI

language

Ukrainian, with English extended summary, titles of tables, captures to figs, and references

abstract

Field studies on the European mole’s distribution in the northern part of the Donetsk region were conducted. Censuses were held on two regular routes during 2006–2016. The European mole is a sporadic and not abundant species in the studied area. Its population is stable and not threatened. Disjunctions of its range within the region are found. The population of the European mole is indigenous and it had been recovered from local refugiums. The expansion of the European mole in the northern part of the Donetsk region happened when spring floods on the Siversky Donets River had not occur. The main limiting factors of the mole population are climatic conditions affecting the feeding base, which may cause the animals’ death. In unfavorable years, the population density of the European mole does not decrease, but its range reduces. Additional field studies are required to clarify the European mole’s range southwards the floodplain of the Siversky Donets River.

keywords

Donetsk Oblast, European mole, Talpa europaea.

references

Kondratenko, O., Pilipenko, D., Dyakov, V. 2006. The peculiarities of the European mole’s distribution in the middle part of the Siversky Donets valley. Proceedings of the Theriological School, 7 (Mammal Fauna of Eastern Ukraine): 98–102. (In Ukrainian)
Korobchenko, M. 2008. European mole (Talpa europaea) in the Derkul river valley on the border of Ukraine and Russian Federation. Vestnik zoologii, 42 (1): 25. (In Ukrainian)
Korobchenko, M. A. 2009. Expansion of the European mole (Talpa europaea) from the Siversky Donets river valley. Zoologichesky Zhurnal, 88 (4): 465–472. (In Russian)
Limansky, S., Kondratenko, O. 2006. Modern state of the mammal fauna of the natural reserve "Kreydiana flora". Proceedings of the Theriological School, 7 (Mammal Fauna of Eastern Ukraine): 29–32. (In Ukrainian)
Melnichenko, B. G., Pilipenko, D. V., Shirjaev, S. V.2002. Population number and distribution the common mole in the Velyko-Anadol forestry. Visnyk of the Lviv University. Biology Series, 30: 70–75. (In Ukrainian)
Zagorodniuk, I. 2006. Mammals of eastern provinces of Ukraine: composition and historical changes of the fauna. Proceedings of the Theriological School, 7 (Mammal Fauna of Eastern Ukraine): 217–259. (In Ukrainian)