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Materials on population and habitats of Turkmen Kulan (onager Equus hemionus, Pallas) at Karakalpakstan Part of Usturt
Section 1. Biology
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20534/ESR-16-11.12-3-5
Jumanov Muratbay Arepbaevich, Candidate of biology sciences, Karakalpak State University Asenov Gappar Asenovich, Dr. of Biol. Sc., professor Karakalpak State University, Nukus, Uzbekistan E-mail:svetmamb@mail.ru
Materials on population and habitats of Turkmen Kulan (onager Equus hemionus, Pallas) at Karakalpakstan Part of Usturt
Abstract: In the article there are given materials about modern spreading and the number of the Turkmen onager Equus hemionus dwelling in the karakalpak part of the Ustyurt Plateau. There are described the threads and given the recommendations on protection of this species by organizing the nature — protected territories.
Keywords: the Turkmen kulan, the Ustyurt Plateau, the Sarykamish Lake, the Red List of IUCN.
The vast territory of Karakalpakstan is rich with animal and plant wild world. This attracts the attention of neighbor countries and their researchers since earlier times. Karakalpakstan's Plateau of Ustyurt and the Dessert Kizilkum since earlier times has been the shortest caravan way connecting Central Asia with Europe, which put the beginning of trade — economic relationship between these two worlds. Since earlier times has been organized survey expeditions where many zoologists and naturalists took part. Later with interest they describe the animal and plant wild life of native land.
At the beginning of XIX century the famous researcher of wild nature E. A. Eversman [9] recorded plentiful population of wild horses, donkeys and sayga at the Plateau of Ustyurt.
Turkmen kulan (onager horse — Equus hemionus Pallas) since 1775 to XIX century has been wide spread at the steppes of Central Asia, Kazakhstan, West Siberia and Europe. At Uzbekistan Equus hemionus Pallas has been populated at the Plateau of Ustyurt till XX century, and according to the records of Ishadov [1] during 30s of XX century almost in all of these districts the species ofkulan has been shot and entirely extincted. Kulan (onager (horse) — Equus hemionus Pallas) enters the Red list of IUCN, enters in appendix of CITES and has been registrated in the Red Book of Uzbekistan with the status of 0 (EW) as an extincted species of wild world of the country which has also sub species [3; 12; 13].
Kulan habituates at plateaus, at desserts and at half-desserts of Ustyurt. At summer time kulan makes small herds mostly near to watersheds but during the wintertime they gathered in big herds wandering over the dessert. In Turkmenistan during July-August drive horses to prairies. Kulans give birth a child mostly in May-June. They eat mostly cereals. In autumn they eat wormwood and solyanka. In winter they feed themselves with wormwood, cereals, leaves, brunches bushes and half-bushes of solsola.
Zoologists of Karakalpakstan anti-plague station constantly run surveys on the territory of Ustyurt and Kizilkum. Since 1954 up now the scientific researchers of Karakalpakstan Academy of Sciences
(Affiliation of Uzbekistan AS) and also Karakalpakstan State University each year organize field surveys on animal and plant wild world. Has been prepared questionnaires especially for cattle farmers and separately for members of various expeditions, also for local aged people who are familiarized to these areas since childhood and know well each animal and plant of this part of wild world. All these data concerning to kulan (onager (horse) — Equus hemionus Pallas) has been chronologically analyzed as a monitoring for long years survey.
The results of oral and written records have been published during the last years. And the results of our own monitoring survey concerning to kulan (onager (horse) -Equus hemionus Pallas) held since 1980 up now at Ustyurt has been compiled as following: 1982-1983 at the area of the lake Sarikamish located on the territory of Kaplankir prairies (Turkmenistan). Kulans habitat these places up to 1930 and have been counted about 100 kulans. At present at Sarikamish registrated about 300-400 kulans [2; 4; 10].
Before 1980 kulan was very rare in the South and Central pert of Ustyurt (Karakalpakstan part).
One of the shepherds, 80 years old Besbay, knowing Ustyurt since childhood in 1986 told that kulans often appeared at the area of the lake to drink water with the horse-herds of domestic horses.
Another shepherd by name Izgurgan in 1986 reported that in May, at the district of Well Baychagir 25-30 km South-West from Barsa-Kelmes they sow two females of kulan's, these female kulans disturb Izgurgan's horses and one of the female kulans was shot by Izgurgan. In May of1986 on the territory of Shahpahty (20 km to South-West) for the first time in Karakalpakstan, at Ustyurt we registrate only one male kulan. In Autumn of 1986, (8-10 of October) on the territory of Uzunkuyu Well, at the district of "Kulan Takir" 30-40 km South-West from the Lake Sarikamish, we registrated two kulans (one male, one female).
Moreover, as some shepherds and horse-farmers from Kunya-Urgench district, from Turkmenistan (Tarshause district) told (their names are Duzelbay, Baubek, Temirbay) that in spring, summer and
Section 1. Biology
autumn of 1985, at the Well Silekeyli, Actay-Oy, Koskuduk, kulans often came to drink water with a herd ofhorses consist of 8-12 members and went back together. In September of2009, again on the territory of Uzunkuyu Well, at the district "Kulan Takir", we registrated 4 kulans (one female and three males). Frightened kulans seeing us from the far ran away to the direction of the Lake Sarikamish.
On the territory of Uzbekistan a group of local researchers discovered kulans at the South -West part of Karakalpakstan Ustyurt, which is hard reaching and remote area. Here runs the border belt of Karakalpakstan with Turkmenistan and kulans though the frontier guard could easily moved from Turkmenistan and populate on the territory of Uzbekistan [5]. On 25th of May, 2012 this group of researchers discovered two young females of kulan habituating in saksaul bushes near to the north part of the lake. Also they discovered the excrements of kulans here and there at the North part of Assake-Audan, at the South part of salt-mashes Shordja bordering with the Lake Sarikamuish from the South. Plentiful of kulan's tracks and traces, excrements have been revealed by the researchers at the Southwest coastal part of Sarikamish and at the area of hill foots located between the lake and the hills. At the foot of the hill has been found a lower jaw with teeth and shoulder blade of a kulan. Karakalpak fishermen confirm that kulans really habituate there because they often sow a herd of kulan consists of 20 members.
The same researcher group in 2014, on June 2 reported about a group of kulan with nine kulans at the Southwest of upper hill area near to Turkmenistan border. According to their data, after counting the fresh traces of kulan, approximate number of kulan populated at the Uzbekistan part of Ustyurt during spring-summer period makes 42-48 heads. It is possible that kulans migrated to the South part of Sarikamish to find a shelter from the cold dessert winds and hide behind the tall hills. Some fishermen confirmed that in winter when the water of the Lake Sarikamish turns into ice kulans and other animals moved from Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan and vice versa over the ice. In spring when fishermen started their job kulans moved to west and tosouth on the territory of Turkmenistan and only some kulans with small groups stay in Uzbekistan during spring-summer period [6]. The same group of researchers gives the approximate number of kulan population on the territory of Uzbekistan at the area of Sarikamish and Plateau of Ustyurt. It makes about 50-100 kulans. According to E. Rustamova and co [7]
data in 1989 on April 26, at the South Ustyurt, at the east Well of Usunkui (Uzbekistan) has been revealed a group of kulan consists of 46 members and also has been revealed traces and excrement of kulan at the north coast of the LLake Sarikamish. According to the data of Turkmen researchers at present the number of kulans habituating at the area of Sarikamish is about 100-130 heads ofwhich 70% is habituating in Kaplankir prairie.
Analyzing all above-mentioned data and also our records we can say that at present the number of all kulans of Sarikamish population habituating at Karakalpakstan part of Ustyurt is 70-100 heads. These figures concise with the data of N. Marmazinskiy and co [6].
We consider that kulan existence at Karakalpakstan part of South Ustyurt, especially at the area of the Lake Sarikamish is because this territory is near to Kaplankir prairie in Turkmenistan, from where kulan move to Uzbekistan recently. More over one of the reasons that kulan cross the border in winter and to move to South part of Sarikamish is to find a shelter from the cold winds behind the high hills, as the fishermen confirm that when in winter the lake water turns into ice kulan and other animals cross the border and move from Tukmenistan to Uzbekistan and vice versa over the ice surface [6]. The main menace for the mammals and also kulan populated in South and Central Ustyurt is poacher caused by fishermen, animal-farmers and wolves.
In 2009 appeared another trouble, connected with the water gates from the canals feeding the Lake Sarikamish for filling the man-made pond "Altin Asir" [8]. This could make the water of the lake extremely saline [11], which is the main water-drinking place for the wild animals habituating at South Ustyurt. Kulans from historical times are the main game for the local hunters who are skillful and know effective methods for catching kulans. The hunters know the time when kulans come to drink water with big groups and thus kulans were killed by hunters and entirely extincted. At present while hunting the poachers use different vehicles as motorcycles, cars and even flying transports. For protecting the life ofkulan must be held constant monitoring on places of population, food security, enemies, food opponents and so on. It is necessary to organize prairies and reserves on the territory of Barsa-Kelmes, Agiin from the North, Shakhpakhti, Assake-Audan, Shordja at the central part, The Lake Sarikamish from the South-East and Shor Kazakhli from South-West.
References:
1. Ishadov N. Population and Contemporary Number of Hoofed Animals at South-West part of Kurkmenistan//Triology, - Novoso-birsk, - 1972. - V. 1. - P. 417-419. (in Russian).
2. The Red Book of Turkmenistan. Invertebrates and Vertebrates Animals. - V.2. - Ashkhabad, - 2011. - 384 p. (in Russian).
3. The Red Book of Uzbekistan, - Vol. 2. Animals. - Tashkent, - 2009. - 215 p. (in Russian).
4. Kuznetsov V. I. Kulan's Returning. The Unique Creature ofWild World Steadily Takes Its Ecological Place//Turkmenistan. International journal. - No 1-2. - 2014. - P. 84-94. (in Russian).
5. Marmazinskaya N. V., Grintsina M. A., Mitropolskiy M. G. Fresh Figures on Rare Species of Mammals at the South Pert of Karakalpakstan Ustyurt and the North part of Sarikamish Area. (Uzbekistan)//Materials of Intern. Conference "Land Vertebrates of Arid ecosystems" - Tashkent, - 2012. - P. 204-210. (in Russian).
6. Marmazinskaya N. V., Grintsina M. A., Mitropolskiy M. G., Murzakhanov P., Wuderlix Y. Rare Hoofed of Central and South Ustyurt and Sarikamish Area: Mater. Rep. Science-Practical Conf. "Contemporary Problems for Preserving Rare, Extincting and Non-studied Animals of Uzbekistan". -Tashkent, - 2016. - P. 118-127. ( in Russian).
7. Rustamov E. A., Kachinskiy p., Caparmuratov D. Kulan at the Edge of Extinction and Its Conservation in Turkmenistan/Contemporary Problems of Zoology, Ecology and Nature Protection. Mater. Reading and science conf. Devoted to Prof. A. g. Bannikova. - Moscow, - 2016. - P. 118-127. (in Russian).
8. Turkmen Lake of "Altin Asir". - Ashkhabad, - 2009. - 100 p. (in Russian).
9. Eversman E. Reise von Orenburg nach Buchara, begleitet von einem naturhistorischen Anhange und einer Vorrede von H. Lichtench-tein. - Berlin, - 1823. - 193 p.
10. Rustamov A., Rustamov E. Biodiversity conservation in Central Asia: On the example of Turkmenistan//NEF - Tokio, - 2007. - 204 p.
Xylophage insects (Insecta: Coleoptera; Hymenoptera; Isoptera) — industrial wood vermin in Uzbekistan
11. Ten A., Kashkarov R., Matekova G., Zholdasova I., Turaev M. New Important Bird Areas in Uzbekistan//Sandgrouse, - 34 (2), -
2012, - P. 137-147.
12. URL: http: www.iucnredlist.org
13. URL: http: www.cites.org
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20534/ESR-16-11.12-5-8
Lebedeva Natalya Ivanovna, Mirzaeva Gulnara Saidarifovna, Rustamov Kakhramon Djurabayevich, Kholmatov Bakhtiyor Rustamovich, Ganieva Zumrad Abdukhakimovna, Mansurxodjaeva Maxmuda Usmanovna, Institution of gene pool of the flora and animals world of Academy of science of the Republic of Uzbekistan E-mail: zoologiya-zumrad@mail.ru
Xylophage insects (Insecta: Coleoptera; Hymenoptera; Isoptera) — industrial wood vermin in Uzbekistan
Abstract: Researches have been first performed in 14 regions of Uzbekistan to identify xylophagous insects that damage industrial wood, timber, construction material, lumber and household items made of wood owned by individuals, organizations, strategic objects, cultural heritage objects, etc. The wood inhabited with wood borers was reported in 41.4% cases. To the most harmful and widespread 15 species of wood borers identified in Uzbekistan refer common furniture beetle Anobium pertinax L., black longhorn beetle Hylotrupes bajulus L., Anacanthotermes turkestanicusJ. and A. ahngerianusJ. termites and true bees (superfamily of Apoidea.) — antoforidies (Anthophoridae Family). The local spread of xylophagous insects is reported at the territory of the republic as well as the lack of large core inhabitants, except for termites of Anacanthotermes genus. The main reason of industrial wood and other material attack is application of wood of high humidity and its contamination with wood-staining fungi; the wood and construction material not debarked; lack of fungicidal treatment of the wood to prevent mold damage and fungosity and lack of insecticide treatment to prevent insect attack. The present work is performed under the financial grant of the State Scientific and Technical Programmes (GNTP) 05-0A-0-14830 "Investigation of population ecology and functioning of the range of xylophagous insects and their adaptive mechanisms" (2012-2016).
Keywords: beetles, horntails, anthophoridae, termites, industrial wood, Uzbekistan.
1. Introduction:
Improving the life, human beings tend to live in the environment using items of natural and animal origin. These items are often subject to attack of various insects from the nature resulting in their damage. Over 1000 cases ofwood and wooden structure damage are reported in objects of cultural heritage and residential houses ofthe private sector in the city of Tashkent, Andijan, Bukhara, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Namangan, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, Syrdarya, Tashkent, Fergana, Khorezm regions of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Karakalpakstan (walls, columns, floors, flooring, windows, doors, furniture, musical instruments, etc.) attacked by termites [7; 8; 9; 22]. The challenge to protect wooden structures and items from infestation by xylophagous insects that results in the emergency condition of houses, buildings and museum facilities constructed demanded the urgent address.
It is known that symbiote fungus and microorganisms found in gastrointestinal tract thereof commit to the deleterious activity of insects that feed on wood cellulose contribute. The extent of the wood damage is even more enhanced by the combined infestation with fungi and insects [18].
However, the measures to prevent attack of true powderpost beetles still remains not only time consuming, but often less-effective. The reason is the latent life habit of the pest larvae in in the wood, duration of the larval stage and uneven development of
larvae, yet, within a single generation, nocturnalism of most imago species and high reproductive pattern thereof, food availability and adequacy which, in combination, cause difficulties to perform preventive measures and extermination of insects. Moreover, the latent life habit of larvae, and sometimes that of imago, in wood contributes to almost minimization of the number and category of their enemies and parasites.
A range of major publications [2; 3], aim to highlight most issues associated with fauna, taxonomy, biology, physiology and ecology of some groups of insects of Uzbekistan and neighboring areas. Of the range of xylophagous insects relatively thorough investigations of termites have been performed [7; 8; 9; 22]. Nevertheless, the termite investigations have been primarily focused in the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Khorezm region. The information on other xylophagous insects of Uzbekistan and some other details of their ecology were fragmentary [2].
The purpose of this work was to determine the species composition ofxylophagous insects — the pests that damage the industrial wood in Uzbekistan, isolation of the most harmful and mass species among them and elaboration of the strategH to manage the xylophagous insect populations.
This workhas been performed under the financial grant of the Uzbek Academy of Sciences F5-FA-0-14830 "Investigation of
