TSU: sable population in Tomsk forests reached historical maximum

TOMSK, Jul 3 – RIA Tomsk. The sable population, which was on the verge of extinction, restored in the Tomsk region, at the moment there are at least 40 thousand individuals of the two species - West Siberian and Barguzin live in the region, the press service of Tomsk State University (TSU) reports on Monday.

With reference to the researcher of the Laboratory of Biodiversity Monitoring of the Biological Institute (BI) of TSU Oleg Tyutenkov, it was reported that at the beginning of the 20th century "because of excessive fishing, the number of sables in the Tomsk region decreased to the level when it was impossible to restore it without additional measures". In the 1950s, two thousand Barguzin sables were brought into the region.

"Now the number of this fur-bearing animal increased up to a historic maximum: at the moment there are at least 40 thousand individuals living in the region ... The monitoring results carried out by the zoologists of the BI TSU showed that at present the sable completely restored its populations in the Tomsk region. It lives not only in all districts, but also meets not far from the regional center", - is said in the message.

It is specified that in the Tomsk region there are two kinds of sable - traditional West Siberian (large size, light fur) and Barguzin (smaller size with dark fur). "The results of the genetic examination conducted by the staff of the Laboratory of Biodiversity Monitoring showed that both invaders and aborigines made almost equal contribution to the restoration of populations", - is emphasized in the report .

It is noted that there was no complete mixing of the two species on the territory of the region. For example, in the basin of the Chulym River in Pervomaysk and Teguldetsk regions typical West Siberian individuals live - the lightest and largest in size, while in the Tym river basin live the darkest representatives of the species, more similar to the Barguzin sables.

It is also reported that a high number of sable leads to an increased risk of contamination of animals with parasitic and skin diseases. For example, recently the animal often has endomycosis - a fungal infection that adversely affects the quality of its fur.