Dynamics of quantity and spatiotemporal structure of the Taimyr wild reindeer population (2000-2009)

Leonid A. Kolpashchikov, Vladimir V. Mikhailov

Fig. 1. The number of Taimyr reindeer’s population, 1970-2010

2000 2003 2009

- -The distribution of large groups of reindeer(1 - Eniseiskaya, 2 – Tareiskaya, 3 – Verkhnetaimyrskaya, 4 – Logatskaya)- The places of herds’ concentration in the second half of July -The routes of migrations

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 20100

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

young females 2+

adult females

Track record dry females

Fig.4. Track record dry females.

Fig. 7. The output of the Taimyr reindeer (1971-2006)

Dynamics of quantity and spatiotemporal structure of the Taimyr wild reindeer population (2000-2009)Leonid A. Kolpashchikov, Vladimir V. Mikhailov

Table 1-Seasonal variations of the area of the Taimyr population (2003)

Table 2-Dynamics of quantity (thous. heads) of basic reindeer groups in 1993-2009

Table 3-Dynamics of the population sex and age structure, %

Group Reindeer registerd

Males%

Females, %

Calves%

Youngsters, %

2000

Verkhnetaimyrskaya

3490 14.6 36.2 21.0 28.2

Yeniseyskaya 11580 8.6 40.2 23.3 27.9

Tareiskaya 8411 18.1 35.2 20.4 26.3

2003

Yeniseyskaya 15423 9.8 22,8 17.5 49,9

Tareiskaya 2053 10.9 32,6 19.3 37,2

Mokorittovskaya

1056 5.4 39,2 23.2 32,2

Gorbitskaya 14478 11.8 44,9 26.6 16,7

2009

Yeniseyskaya 1500 10,2 47,6 25,9 16,3

Tareiskaya 4900 16,4 34,7 18,9 30,0

Verkhnetaimyrskaya

6900 18,1 23,7 12,9 45,3

Logatskaya 4800 12,7 37,4 20,3 29,6

Table 4- Sex and age structure of basic groups of wild reindeer according to air registrations (2000 – 2009)

Conclusion

The main factors of the current population decline:- Increase in non-pregnant cows from 12 to 30-32% (1992-2009) as a response to population density and the effect of anthropogenic factors;- calves’ mortality increased due to the shift of calving grounds into more Southern areas (12-15% compared to 10% in 1972-1993);- general reindeer mortality increase (up to 12% with the average long-term mortality of 10%) due to the sharp increase of wolves’ abundance; - selective commercial hunting of adult males and females older than 4 yrs old;- illegal reindeer hunting exceeding the commercial hunting quota two times (population quantity – 750 k, quota – 45 k, actual number of killed animals – up to 90 k);- human factors – obstruction of lines of the Norilsk – Messoyakha – Pelyatka gas pipeline, prolonged shipping navigation on the Yenisey, the emission of toxic gases by “Norilsky Nikel” plants.The above reasons prove the necessity of conducting systematic and regular research and assessment of the Taimyr wild reindeer population current state.