Abramchuk,
A. V. 2021. The Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys
volans) in Belarus: distribution, abundance, threats,
and conservation. Theriologia Ukrainica, 22:
69–79.
title |
The Siberian
flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) in Belarus:
distribution, abundance, threats, and conservation |
author(s) |
Andrey V. Abramchuk (orcid: 0000-0001-6325-8365) |
affiliation |
Brest Regional Branch
of NGO ‘Ahova Ptushak Batskaoshchyny’ (Brest, Republic
of Belarus) |
bibliography |
Theriologia Ukrainica.
2021. Vol. 22: 69-79. |
DOI |
http://doi.org/10.15407/TU2208 |
|
|
language |
English, with Ukrainian
summary, titles of tables, captures to figs |
abstract |
The Siberian
flying squirrel (Pteromys volans L.) is
one of the most poorly studied mammal species in
the Belarusian fauna. In Belarus, the species inhabits
the south-western border of its distribution range.
Despite a multitude of its high conservation statuses,
as well as extremely scarce information on the species’
distribution and biology in the country, no special
studies on the species have been conducted. The
last reliably documented record of the flying squirrel
was made more than 20 years ago, in 1996, in Viciebsk
District, in the territory of Surazski forestry
[Red Data... 2015]. Other information on the state
of the population, distribution of the species,
or individual registrations in Belarus for the last
20 years (1996–2017) lacks in the literature. We
found more than 100 territorial sites of the Syberian
flying squirrel in Viciebsk and Haradok districts
in 2017–2020. Potential habitats of the species
in other districts of the Viciebsk and Minsk regions
were also surveyed. This allowed us to establish
the borders of the modern distribution area of the
species in Belarus, to estimate its current population,
and to study some aspects of ecology of the species.
At present, the species inhabits less than 1% of
the territory of Belarus, but its density in optimal
habitats is relatively high. A number of publications,
as far back as the last century, indicate a much
wider distribution of the species in the country.
Therefore, it is possible to indicate a substantial
shrinkage of the species’ distribution area during
the last 50–100 years. Taking into account the insignificant
area of the modern distribution of the species along
with the key threats and current forest management
tendencies, it is possible to assert with certainty
that in the absence of special protection measures,
the flying squirrel might soon be gone extinct in
Belarus. Some of the habitats we have identified
are currently protected by land users. In addition,
we have proposed a number of activities within the
framework of Management plan development necessary
for its conservation, as well as those aimed at
further studying, including the possible restoration
of its historical range. |
keywords |
flying squirrel, rare
fauna, distribution, protection, Belarus. |
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