PROJECTS

Pallas' Cat in Altai mountain area: to update a conservation status

Project results

April and July 2009. The local people were interviewed about Pallas' cat findings in the Kosh-Agach district of the Altai Republic. The data on threats were collected also.

December 2009. The winter countings of Pallas' Cat were carried out in the Kosh-Agach district of the Altai Republic. The main study site is the south slopes of the Kurai Ridge (in the Chuya and Kurai intermountain depressions). The local people were interviewed also about Pallas' Cat.

The expedition participators were the researchers from the SibEcoCenter, the 3-d course student of the Zabaikalsky State Humanitarian Pedagogical University (Chita city, Transbaikal region), the officer of the department of ecological education of the Altaisky Biosphere Reserve (Altai Republic) - the project's volunteer. The survey routes passed through the south-western slopes of the Kurai Ridge. The special attention were given to suitable for Pallas' Cat biotopes - the steep slopes with shallow snow and rocks. The unusual deep snow in the study site this year and hard frosts made difficulties for the work but nevertheless we obtained important survey data on Pallas' Cat presence and habitats as well as on other carnivores and preys. Some data on Pallas' Cat in the area were gathered from the local people.

Team members. From left to right: Ilya Smelansky (SibEcoCenter), Anna Barashkova (SibEcoCenter), Ekaterina Shichkova (Altaisky Reserve), Aldar Dambain (ZabSHPU), Andrey Tomilenko (SibEcoCenter)

Presently the data is under treatment.

See also photos from the expediton at the SibEcoCenter's web-site (in Russian).

During the field work the poster on Pallas' cat (jpg, 4,3Mb) was distributed among the local people (herders, hunters, schoolchildrens). The poster publishing was supported by the Nine Lives Feline Fund in Honor of Scotty, Spanky, Lizzie and Rosie (Mr. Brad Kollus).

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