Status of Reintroduced Marmot Populations in Two Forest–Steppe Reserves of European Russia

Abstract

The steppe marmot (baibak) is one of the typical rodents of the Eastern European forest–steppe and steppe. In the mid-twentieth century, European populations of the species were on the verge of extinction, but then, thanks to conservation measures and reintroductions, the population of boibak and range were largely restored. This work collects and presents data on two restored marmot colonies in the forest–steppe of European Russia. The research was carried out in the Central Black Earth Nature Reserve (Streletskaya steppe, two sections) and in the Volga Forest–Steppe Nature Reserve (Ostrovtsovskaya forest–steppe, three sections). The number and age composition of marmots are described. Maps of settlements with burrows and trails of marmots have been compiled; for each burrow the coordinates and type (temporary or permanent) are indicated. The population density and the number of burrows per marmot were calculated. In total, 12 marmots live in the Streletskaya steppe: ten on the “Pasture” site and two on the “Restored Steppe” site. In the first area, seven adult and three young marmots were noted, in the second, two adult marmots. Here, the reintroduction of the boibak was not entirely successful. From 2015 to 2023 the number of marmots decreased sharply, from 38 to 12 individuals, and the area of the inhabited territory fell from 10 to 3.7 hectares. In the Ostrovtsovskaya forest–steppe, 48 marmots (eight families) were recorded, of which 40 were in the first area (six families), two were in the second area (one family), and six were in the third area (one family). Of the 48 individuals, 29 (61%) are underyearlings. The reintroduction of the bobak into the Ostrovtsovskaya forest–steppe was relatively successful: the total number of animals is comparable to the number of marmots initially released (48 and 64).