Status Assessment of the Population of Striped Hyena Hyaena Hyaena in Tajikistan

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Status Assessment of the Population of Striped Hyena Hyaena Hyaena in Tajikistan Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan Status Assessment of the Population of Striped Hyena Hyaena hyaena in Tajikistan Cumulative Report for the Period 2016 - 2019 ANCOT Dushanbe - 2019 1 Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan List of Participants Authors of the Report: Ismoil Kholmatov – biologist, Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan Khalil Karimov – biologist, Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan Other contributors: Nuzar Oshurmamadov - biologist, Institute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan Jurabek Bakhriev – field expert, Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan Golib Mulloyorov– field expert, Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan Ayub Zarifi – field expert, Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan Nurali Rakhimov - Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union of Tajikistan Kurbon Jalilov – conservancy ranger, NGO “Obi Safed” Samandar Gulov – conservancy ranger, NGO “Obi Safed” Ubaidulloev Muhammadi (Stariy Hoji) - conservancy ranger, NGO “Obi Safed” Qosimov Olimkhon (Eshoni gareni) - conservancy ranger, NGO “Obi Safed” Soliev Ali (Rijiy) - conservancy ranger, NGO “Obi Safed” Yoqubov Muhammadyusuf - conservancy ranger, NGO “Obi Safed” Jalilov Qurbon (Povor) - conservancy ranger, NGO “Obi Safed” Safarbek Kobilov – head of the NGO “Obi Safed” Editor: Stefan Michel – IUCN SSC / NABU / ZGAP Picture on the first page: Hyena from the community-based conservancy NGO „Obi Safed“ 2 Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan Content Introduction......................................................................................................................................................4 Goals and objectives ........................................................................................................................................5 Study area.......................................................................................................................................................5 Methods ..........................................................................................................................................................6 Results............................................................................................................................................................8 Discussion.....................................................................................................................................................17 Conclusions...................................................................................................................................................20 Acknowledgments ..........................................................................................................................................21 List of the Literature........................................................................................................................................22 3 Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan Introduction The striped hyena Hyaena hyaena is one of the four species of the hyena family Hyaenidae. Currently, the status of the population of hyenas in Tajikistan is not adequately known. The latest publication on hyenas by Abdusalyamov et al. (2008) mentioned that the last time the authors saw the species in 2005 in the Syr Darya valley in northern Tajikistan, and in 2008 they detected tracks of three hyenas and signs of hyena presence in the Gissar Valley. Another hyena had been found around the year 2000 as road kill at the road M41 near the Panj River, at border between Khatlon and GBAO regions (Toimastov, pers. comm. 2009). Since 2007, there has been no reliable data on hyenas from the country. Tajik zoologists conducted multiple surveys to study the status of the population, but they could not find any signs of presence. For example, camera trap surveys (2013-2015) by the Institute of Zoology and Parasitology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Institute of Forests in the Strictly Protected Area Tigrovaya Balka did not yield any positive results as no hyena was photographed on any of camera traps and during installation no signs of hyena presence have been seen, although historically the striped hyena was widely inhabiting the tugai (riparian forest) and drylands of Tigrovaya Balka and its surroundings. Pic. 2-3 Photos from the Museum of the Institute of Zoology of the Tajik Academy of Sciences. These hyenas were collected on Sep 3, 1963 in the mountain range Kok-Tau, a spur of the Hissar mountain range. [Abdusalyamov et al., 2008]. In 2014 a video clip titled “Hyena in Tajikistan (from where? How comes?). Uyali, attack on livestock is repulsed.” appeared in the internet. On the video clip two or three dead striped hyenas were shown, allegedly killed by herders’ dogs. This video clip created a lot of interest among Tajik scientists and wildlife enthusiasts. But because of the lack of financial and human capacity there was no way to conduct detailed surveys across the historical range of striped hyena in Tajikistan. Pic.4-5 Screenshots from the video clip. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCxai_TtOlU) 4 Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan On his private initiative a nature enthusiast in coordination with experts from the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union of Tajikistan together with the Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan started an investigation. They detected the place where those striped hyenas were killed. They met local community representatives, who confirmed the presence of hyena in the areas they live, particularly surrounding the Aktau mountain range, and was shown signs of hyena presence. These first signs triggered the above-mentioned organizations to initiate a first project for surveying and data collection across parts of the historical range of striped hyena in Tajikistan. Thanks to the support of Partner organizations: Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations ZGAP / Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union NABU / Zoo Neunkirchen / Private Donors during 2017-2019 we collected new valuable data on the status of the population of striped hyena in Tajikistan. Goals and objectives The immediate goal of the initial stage of the Striped Hyena Project was to confirm the presence of the species in parts of its historical range in Tajikistan, and in particular in the spurs of the Aktau mountain range. The results should serve as a basis for the initiation of further conservation action. Objectives: Determine the presence of striped hyena; Through camera trapping determine the abundance and distribution of the striped hyena; Identify major threats to the survival of the hyena population; Simultaneously identify associated species; Identify and propose the necessary measures to preserve striped hyena; Take initial steps to preserve the detected population of the striped hyena. Study area The surveyed territory is located less than hundred km to the south from Dushanbe, along the eastern slope of the Aktau mountain range. The surveyed territory is delimited in the west by the Esamol range, in the North by the Bukajatar range; in the east it is limited by the spurs of the Jetymtau mountain, and it includes the basin of the Eshmasoy stream. In the south, the territory is limited by the Khojakala channel. It includes the villages (kishlaks) Yangiyer, Navdi, Buston, Eshma (which is included in the Gozimalik District; in general, there are three villages with the name Eshma in this area). The administrative center is Obi-Kiik. The relief consists primarily of loess hills, rugged by ravines. The height of the hills is not more than 1,500 m a.s.l., elevating them by up to almost 1,000 m above the ravines. The climate is dry, hot, rainfall varies with altitude. The average of annual temperature is 15-16°C. The dry period is 4.5-5 months. The area has more or less saline groundwater, with few springs, many of which dry up in summer. Winters are short and snowless. Herbaceous plants are dominated by flax Linum corumbulosum, caper prickly Capparis spinosa, camel thorn Alhagi spp., rang sedge Carex pachystylis and bluegrass Poa bulbosa. The large umbelliferous plant Ferula is found in the foothills of Esamol and Gardaniushti. Pistachio Pistacea vera, almond Amygdalys bucharica, hawthorn Crataegus spp. and Celtis caucasica are found among tree species. Urial Ovis vignei (possibly extinct in most or all of the immediate study area, but present in the Aktau Mountains), fox Vulpes vulpes, porcupine Hystrix indica, boar Sus scrofa (possibly disappeared in some 5 Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan locations), badger Meles meles, steppe cat Felis silvestris ornata, wolf Canis lupus and golden jackal Canis aureus are the main representatives of larger mammals. Pic. 6 Typical landscapes used by striped hyena. A small part of the territory is occupied by rain-fed arable land. The local communities in these territories grow sesame and flax to produce butter, grows watermelons and melons, potatoes, peas and pistachios. Due to the limited water resources, in most cases rain-fed (non-irrigated) agricultural crops, especially melons, are widely planted on the territory. The ravines below the hills are irrigated lands used for intensive crop production, mainly
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