Балобан на востоке Казахстана

• Main Author: Левин, А.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Общество с ограниченной ответственностью «Сибэкоцентр» 2008
• Subjects: ХИЩНЫЕ ПТИЦЫ; ПЕРНАТЫЕ ХИЩНИКИ; БАЛОБАН; Levin; Northern Foothills; Aquila chrysaetos; golden eagle
• Online Access: http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/baloban-na-vostoke-kazahstana; http://cyberleninka.ru/article_covers/14695215.png

Introductions The breeding Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) population on the mountain ridges of eastern Kazakhstan has been monitored since 2000, The monitoring program has revealed an overall population decline over the nine years of study from an estimated 66 breeding pairs in 2000 to 22 in 2008 (75.8%). Methods Eastern Kazakhstan has several large and many small mountain ridges that provide a large area of suitable Saker Falcon nesting habitat. The Saker Falcon breeding population of eastern Kazakhstan was monitored in the Tarbagatai Mountains, including its southern foothills of Arkaly and Karabas Mountains, and in the Manrak Mountains, which are situated to the north of the Tarbagatai range. The study areas were chosen because relatively high Saker Falcon densities were previously recorded in these regions and human activity is curtailed in this border zone. Survey routes were covered by 4WD vehicle UAZ 452 over a period of three months from the beginning of April, when most clutches are laid, until the end of June, when chicks have fledged. Nest locations were recorded with a Garmin GPS unit and recorded in an electronic database which also included a description of the nest site. Nest locations were then plotted on computerized maps and satellite images. Nest contents were recorded wherever possible, though in recent years we have avoided disturbing sitting birds during incubation. The breeding population of the region was estimated from the survey data obtained from 92 territories that had evidence of occupation in at least one year from 2000-08. For logistic reasons, it was not possible to visit every territory each year and the number of territories checked ranged from 10 in 2000 to 76 in 2007. Territories were classified as occupied if: there was an active nest, one or more adults were seen in the territory or signs of recent occupation such as fresh prey remains and mutes were found. Breeding was confirmed within occupied territories if eggs or young were seen in the nest. In order to estimate the number of breeding pairs at territories that were not visited it was necessary to multiply the number of unvisited territories by the proportion of confirmed breeding attempts at checked territories. This estimate was then added to the number of confirmed breeders to produce an overall population estimate for the 92 territories in the survey area. Distribution and Number The first Saker survey in eastern Kazakhstan was made in 1997 by Mark Watson, a British biologist who worked in closely with zoologists from Kazakhstan (Watson, 1997). This was the first time that nests had been recorded in Dzhungarsky Alatau, Tarbagatai and the Manrak Mountains. Since 1999 the study area has been expanded to include a considerable area of Tarbagatai Mountains including its southern and northern foothills as well as the Saur ridge, Kalbinsky Altai Mountains, Altai Mountains (Kurchumsky and the Narymsky ridges). For the first time in 50 years the largest of eastern Kazakhstan's forests were explored with the aim of locating raptor nests. The study located 25 Saker Falcon nests and 49 nests of the Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), whose disused nests are the main source of nesting sites for Sakers (Karyakin et al., 2005; Levin et al., 2007). The foothills of the Kalba Mountains were surveyed in 2006 by a Kazakhstan-Russian team; three Saker Falcon breeding territories were recorded there (Smelansky et al., 2006). Before the 1960's the Saker was regarded as common, occupying almost all the mountain ridges and long cliffs of Kazakhstan (Korelov, 1962) and it is believed that this status remained the same up to the 1990's. Following the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the number of Saker Falcons in the wild began to decline sharply in parts of Kazakstan, primarily due to uncontrolled exploitation of the species for the Arabic falconry market with the greatest decline reported in the south-east of the country (Levin, 2001; 2003). Over nine years, from 2000-08 inclusive, a total of 92 Saker Falcon breeding territories were recorded in the eastern region of Kazakhstan. In Tarbagatai as well as other large mountain ridges, the density of Saker Falcon nests is low. Two attempts were made to find Saker nests in the montane zone of the Tarbagatai Mountains in 2006 and 2007 but no nests were found and only one Saker was seen in the area. Most breeding Sakers were located on the periphery of the main Tarbagatai Mountain range i.e., in the foothills. High breeding densities were recorded in the Arkaly and Karabas Mountains, located close to the Chinese border. A comparatively high density of nests was also observed in the Manrak Mountains, which are located to the north of the Tarbagatai Mountain range. Long-term monitoring of the Saker Falcon breeding population has allowed us to estimate the number of breeding pairs in our survey area over the period 2000-2008 (table 1). Our data indicates that over this 9-year period the breeding population has declined by 65% (fig. 4). In line with this decline the proportion of territories that are occupied by non-breeding birds has increased. Single males were found at over half the occupied territories where at least one Saker was observed but there was no evidence of breeding. Breeding Biology The nesting distribution of Sakers in the surveyed area of Eastern Kazakhstan revealed that the highest breeding densities are found in the foothills of the mountain ranges of the region, which is no doubt related to the availability of mammalian prey such as Great Gerbils (Rhomhomys opimus), Red-cheeked Sousliks (Spermophilus inlermedius) and Long-tailed Sousliks (Spermophilus undulatus), as well as the availability of suitable nesting sites. All Saker nests in Eastern Kazakhstan are located on open cliffs, under overhanging peaks and occasionally partly in niches. The main nest producers for the Saker Falcon in Eastern Kazakhstan are the Long-Legged and the Upland Buzzards (Buteo rufinus and B. hemilasius). Of 86 instances of Saker Falcon nesting, birds used nests of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in two occasions, the Steppe Eagle (A. nipalensis) two occasions and Raven (Corvus corax) also in two. One clutch was found in a nest of the Eastern Imperial Eagle. In all the other instances the Saker used Buzzard nests. In the mountains of Eastern Kazakhstan Sakers start egg-laying from the middle of March and most pairs have completed clutches by the end of April, with a peak period in the third ten-day period of March. The mean and modal clutch size of 31 clutches was 3.9 eggs (range 3 to 6 eggs). The mean and modal size of 156 broods was 3.7 and 4 chicks respectively (range 1 to 6 chicks). There was no decline in brood size at successful nests over the study period (fig. 8). The number of breeding pairs was highest in 2002, which coincided with a peak in the number of Red-cheeked Soushks across the region. Discussion There being no apparent change to the habitat and no perceptible reduction in food supply the breeding population has steadily declined over the study period and the proportion of non-breeding territory holders has increased over the same period. This current breeding population decline in Eastern Kazakhstan mirrors the decline of the breeding Saker population in Southern Kazakhstan over the last decade of the 20th Century, which coincided with the illegal trapping for the falconry trade. We do not know the cause (or causes) of the current decline in eastern Kazakhstan but it is unlikely to be as a result of local factors in the breeding area. The breeding area is afforded some protection from human interference because of the restrictions on human access due to its close proximity to the Chinese border. Consequently, nest disturbance and trapping of breeding adults in the region is relatively low. However, after the breeding season young Sakers and most of the adult birds move from the Tarbagatai foothills and, around the same time, Sakers arrive in the flat, southern region of the Zaysan Valley where there are the colonies of Yellow Lemming (Lagurus luteus), and in the Balkhash-Alakol depression where there are high densities of Great Gerbil. Falcon trappers from Syria and other countries (including Kazakhstan) operate in these regions and catch Sakers from late June to December. Unfortunately, due to its illegality there is no data on the number, age profile or natal origin of the Sakers trapped in these regions, so it is not possible to gauge its impact on the population of eastern Kazakhstan, but with a rapidly declining regional breeding population the illegal trapping and trade of Sakers is certainly not helping the species. Whilst excessive illegal trapping of birds outside the breeding/natal area is a possible (if not probable) cause of the regional decline of Sakers in eastern Kazakhstan, there are other potential factors that could be implicated such as a decline in food availability in the breeding and/or wintering areas and increased mortality through electrocution on power lines. Conclusion In 2007 a reintroduction programme was initiated by the Government in response to the severe decline in the breeding population of southeast Kazakhstan. Under the framework of this program 60 Sakers (30 female, 30 male) were taken on July from «Sunkar» Falcon Facility, Almaty to the Sugary Valley. In 2008 another 50 birds were released and this programme is planned to continue for several years. Introductions The breeding Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) population on the mountain ridges of eastern Kazakhstan has been monitored since 2000, The monitoring program has revealed an overall population decline over the nine years of study from an estimated 66 breeding pairs in 2000 to 22 in 2008 (75.8%). Methods Eastern Kazakhstan has several large and many small mountain ridges that provide a large area of suitable Saker Falcon nesting habitat. The Saker Falcon breeding population of eastern Kazakhstan was monitored in the Tarbagatai Mountains, including its southern foothills of Arkaly and Karabas Mountains, and in the Manrak Mountains, which are situated to the north of the Tarbagatai range. The study areas were chosen because relatively high Saker Falcon densities were previously recorded in these regions and human activity is curtailed in this border zone. Survey routes were covered by 4WD vehicle UAZ 452 over a period of three months from the beginning of April, when most clutches are laid, until the end of June, when chicks have fledged. Nest locations were recorded with a Garmin GPS unit and recorded in an electronic database which also included a description of the nest site. Nest locations were then plotted on computerized maps and satellite images. Nest contents were recorded wherever possible, though in recent years we have avoided disturbing sitting birds during incubation. The breeding population of the region was estimated from the survey data obtained from 92 territories that had evidence of occupation in at least one year from 2000-08. For logistic reasons, it was not possible to visit every territory each year and the number of territories checked ranged from 10 in 2000 to 76 in 2007. Territories were classified as occupied if: there was an active nest, one or more adults were seen in the territory or signs of recent occupation such as fresh prey remains and mutes were found. Breeding was confirmed within occupied territories if eggs or young were seen in the nest. In order to estimate the number of breeding pairs at territories that were not visited it was necessary to multiply the number of unvisited territories by the proportion of confirmed breeding attempts at checked territories. This estimate was then added to the number of confirmed breeders to produce an overall population estimate for the 92 territories in the survey area. Distribution and Number The first Saker survey in eastern Kazakhstan was made in 1997 by Mark Watson, a British biologist who worked in closely with zoologists from Kazakhstan (Watson, 1997). This was the first time that nests had been recorded in Dzhungarsky Alatau, Tarbagatai and the Manrak Mountains. Since 1999 the study area has been expanded to include a considerable area of Tarbagatai Mountains including its southern and northern foothills as well as the Saur ridge, Kalbinsky Altai Mountains, Altai Mountains (Kurchumsky and the Narymsky ridges). For the first time in 50 years the largest of eastern Kazakhstan's forests were explored with the aim of locating raptor nests. The study located 25 Saker Falcon nests and 49 nests of the Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), whose disused nests are the main source of nesting sites for Sakers (Karyakin et al., 2005; Levin et al., 2007). The foothills of the Kalba Mountains were surveyed in 2006 by a Kazakhstan-Russian team; three Saker Falcon breeding territories were recorded there (Smelansky et al., 2006). Before the 1960's the Saker was regarded as common, occupying almost all the mountain ridges and long cliffs of Kazakhstan (Korelov, 1962) and it is believed that this status remained the same up to the 1990's. Following the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the number of Saker Falcons in the wild began to decline sharply in parts of Kazakstan, primarily due to uncontrolled exploitation of the species for the Arabic falconry market with the greatest decline reported in the south-east of the country (Levin, 2001; 2003). Over nine years, from 2000-08 inclusive, a total of 92 Saker Falcon breeding territories were recorded in the eastern region of Kazakhstan. In Tarbagatai as well as other large mountain ridges, the density of Saker Falcon nests is low. Two attempts were made to find Saker nests in the montane zone of the Tarbagatai Mountains in 2006 and 2007 but no nests were found and only one Saker was seen in the area. Most breeding Sakers were located on the periphery of the main Tarbagatai Mountain range i.e., in the foothills. High breeding densities were recorded in the Arkaly and Karabas Mountains, located close to the Chinese border. A comparatively high density of nests was also observed in the Manrak Mountains, which are located to the north of the Tarbagatai Mountain range. Long-term monitoring of the Saker Falcon breeding population has allowed us to estimate the number of breeding pairs in our survey area over the period 2000-2008 (table 1). Our data indicates that over this 9-year period the breeding population has declined by 65% (fig. 4). In line with this decline the proportion of territories that are occupied by non-breeding birds has increased. Single males were found at over half the occupied territories where at least one Saker was observed but there was no evidence of breeding. Breeding Biology The nesting distribution of Sakers in the surveyed area of Eastern Kazakhstan revealed that the highest breeding densities are found in the foothills of the mountain ranges of the region, which is no doubt related to the availability of mammalian prey such as Great Gerbils (Rhomhomys opimus), Red-cheeked Sousliks (Spermophilus inlermedius) and Long-tailed Sousliks (Spermophilus undulatus), as well as the availability of suitable nesting sites. All Saker nests in Eastern Kazakhstan are located on open cliffs, under overhanging peaks and occasionally partly in niches. The main nest producers for the Saker Falcon in Eastern Kazakhstan are the Long-Legged and the Upland Buzzards (Buteo rufinus and B. hemilasius). Of 86 instances of Saker Falcon nesting, birds used nests of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in two occasions, the Steppe Eagle (A. nipalensis) two occasions and Raven (Corvus corax) also in two. One clutch was found in a nest of the Eastern Imperial Eagle. In all the other instances the Saker used Buzzard nests. In the mountains of Eastern Kazakhstan Sakers start egg-laying from the middle of March and most pairs have completed clutches by the end of April, with a peak period in the third ten-day period of March. The mean and modal clutch size of 31 clutches was 3.9 eggs (range 3 to 6 eggs). The mean and modal size of 156 broods was 3.7 and 4 chicks respectively (range 1 to 6 chicks). There was no decline in brood size at successful nests over the study period (fig. 8). The number of breeding pairs was highest in 2002, which coincided with a peak in the number of Red-cheeked Soushks across the region. Discussion There being no apparent change to the habitat and no perceptible reduction in food supply the breeding population has steadily declined over the study period and the proportion of non-breeding territory holders has increased over the same period. This current breeding population decline in Eastern Kazakhstan mirrors the decline of the breeding Saker population in Southern Kazakhstan over the last decade of the 20th Century, which coincided with the illegal trapping for the falconry trade. We do not know the cause (or causes) of the current decline in eastern Kazakhstan but it is unlikely to be as a result of local factors in the breeding area. The breeding area is afforded some protection from human interference because of the restrictions on human access due to its close proximity to the Chinese border. Consequently, nest disturbance and trapping of breeding adults in the region is relatively low. However, after the breeding season young Sakers and most of the adult birds move from the Tarbagatai foothills and, around the same time, Sakers arrive in the flat, southern region of the Zaysan Valley where there are the colonies of Yellow Lemming (Lagurus luteus), and in the Balkhash-Alakol depression where there are high densities of Great Gerbil. Falcon trappers from Syria and other countries (including Kazakhstan) operate in these regions and catch Sakers from late June to December. Unfortunately, due to its illegality there is no data on the number, age profile or natal origin of the Sakers trapped in these regions, so it is not possible to gauge its impact on the population of eastern Kazakhstan, but with a rapidly declining regional breeding population the illegal trapping and trade of Sakers is certainly not helping the species. Whilst excessive illegal trapping of birds outside the breeding/natal area is a possible (if not probable) cause of the regional decline of Sakers in eastern Kazakhstan, there are other potential factors that could be implicated such as a decline in food availability in the breeding and/or wintering areas and increased mortality through electrocution on power lines. Conclusion In 2007 a reintroduction programme was initiated by the Government in response to the severe decline in the breeding population of southeast Kazakhstan. Under the framework of this program 60 Sakers (30 female, 30 male) were taken on July from «Sunkar» Falcon Facility, Almaty to the Sugary Valley. In 2008 another 50 birds were released and this programme is planned to continue for several years.