Even 10 years ago, cases of illegal hunting of reindeer were recorded on the eastern border of the reserve in the summer, but with the strengthening of protection and the creation of the Oleniy Pass reserve, poaching was stopped. However, today the development and popularity of snowmobile tourism, as well as the location of a snowmobile center in the village of Priiskovy near the reserve, threaten the existence of a group of reindeer. According to experts, the possibility of illegal hunting in winter is only a matter of time.
The press service of the World Wildlife Fund said that since 1998, employees of the Kuznetsk Alatau Reserve have been studying reindeer with a notebook and pen. It was only in 2014 that the first camera traps were installed, and since 2021 the deer have been regularly monitored using automatic cameras and satellite collars.
During the last expedition, one camera trap was lost. In addition, the inspectors found traces of several snowmobiles and an ATV in winter places where reindeer are concentrated.
The Kuznetsk Alatau is inhabited by the Kuznetsk-Alatau group of reindeer of a species listed in the Red Book of Russia. This group of animals is very vulnerable and not numerous. Based on information from field studies, the reserve plans further work on monitoring and conservation of the reindeer.
For example, last summer, experts put a satellite collar on a female reindeer and were able to track that she had gone beyond the boundaries of the reserve into the territory of the Republic of Khakassia. This year, she also left the protected area. This data helps to identify important sites for the protection of the species or the establishment and maintenance of existing protected areas.
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