Caprinae Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Caprinae Specialist Group May 1999 hunting involving threatened taxa. Such Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V6T 1Z4 In this issue practices are undefendable. Of all of the Central Asian states in the CIS, only [email protected] Editorial ..............….…......….. 1 Kazakhstan returns some of the money The status of some wild Sheep in Central Asia ………. 1 generated from trophy hunting to Caprinae sheep populations in the Balkan Chamois …..….....…... 4 conservation. Conservation News ………… 5 The Smithsonian Institute was recently CIS (former USSR) and the under the scrutiny of the US press when it impact of trophy hunting Ammotragus in Tunisia ......….. 5 applied for an import permit for a Kara Pakistan ………………….……. 6 Tau argali (Ovis ammon nigrimontana). Surveys IUCN’s new Head .……….…… 6 The specimen was donated to the Institute In 1997, we surveyed wild sheep Severtozov’s argali ……….…… 6 by a hunter, but because of its endangered populations exploited for trophy hunting Abstracts. …………….………. 6 status cannot be imported into the U.S.A. in Kazakhstan and Kyrghizstan. Our The same hunter had also made a $20 research was financed by the Russian Conference ………………….... 7 million donation to the Institute. Recent Publications ………… 7 Office of WWF (TRAFFIC). Similar Following one of the Action Plan’s studies were planned in the Pamir as well, general recommendations, a Taxonomy however, the Ministry for Nature Editorial Working Group is currently being Conservation of Tadjikistan denied us established, and plans are being made to permission. Despite guidelines provided in our Action hold a workshop in May 2000. At the time We surveyed Transcaspian or Ustyurt Plan, trophy hunting is clearly in need of of writing, the potential venue is Ankara, urial (Ovis vignei arkal) and Kazakhstan careful controls in some areas, especially Turkey. The goal of the Taxonomy Group argali (O. a. collium) in Kazakhstan. A where threatened taxa are involved. Recently and that of the workshop, is not only to researcher with the Kazakh Zoological there have been problems surrounding the encourage and co-ordinate taxonomic Institute, R.Zh. Baidavletov, participated planned disbursement of funds that will be revision of Caprinae, but also to help “sort in the latter survey. Pamir argali or Marco generated from hunting markhor in Pakistan. out” the taxonomy for conservation Polo Sheep (O. a. polii) was studied in In another instance, described in the lead purposes. We will keep you informed of Kyrghizstan. article of this issue, trophy hunting quotas future developments. for argali in the south-eastern Pamir In this issue is a new (trial) column Transcaspian urial increased sharply in 1996, following the devoted to publishing abstracts of Transcaspian urial inhabits mainly the decision to allow importation of argali graduate student theses. The purpose is to precipices of the Ustyurt plateau, as well trophies from Tadjikistan into the USA. bring exposure of a student’s work to a as the coastal cliffs and low mountains Although Caprinae continue to face other wider audience and to keep ourselves along the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, problems, the article does present some good informed of the latest work. Obviously, we in western Kazakhstan and north-western news in some areas. can only consider work on Caprinae, their Turkmenistan. Its total numbers are Despite what should be obvious, it seems habitat and predators. estimated to range from 6,000-7,000 th that it cannot be over-emphasised that for Just a reminder - 1999 is the SSC’s 50 (Weinberg et al. 1997) and have remained any form of hunting to take place, there must anniversary. stable in recent years. In the second half of be a clear management plan that includes a As always, please keep those articles April, we obtained data on numbers and sustainable harvest quota based on adequate coming in – without them we won’t have a population structure in the Karagiye biological population data. There must also newsletter. Depression and the table-mountains of be a transparent process for the allocation North Aktau in the central and northern and distribution of generated funds to local David Shackleton parts of the Mangyshlak Peninsula. A total people and to conservation of the taxa being Editor of 130 urial were counted in Karagiye and exploited. Wildlife Research Group, Agroecology 869 in North Aktau. The first population Pressure must be placed where necessary Faculty of Agricultural Sciences has declined because of its proximity to to halt abuses of trophy hunting, especially University of British Columbia the city of Aktau (50 km) and because of 1 intensive livestock grazing. In contrast, the 9,717 and mean densities 0.6 animals/km2 November, 24% in August and second population has increased slightly (Baidavletov and Auezov 1995). Highest September, and the rest in December since 1990. We estimated the total number densities (1.5-2.8/km2) were found in the through March. Hunting occurs in Edrei, of urial in the North Aktau mountains at ca. mountains in the north-eastern part of Myrzhyk, Koshubai and Kinyr-Temirshi 1,000 animals. Population density was Karaganda Oblast. Numbers and densities mountains. Between 4 and 19 males are estimated to be around 2.5 animals/km2, decline in south-western and southern taken annually, and 75 were shot over the calculated for an area that included the plain directions. period 1990 to 1996. More than half of the between separate mountains, and flat In the early 1990s, total numbers of trophies taken in the first years had horn mountain-tops. The population structure was Kazakhstan argali were about 13,500, lengths greater than 120 cm, but since worse in Karagiye, where the lamb:female including 6,500 in Karaganda Oblast 1994, only 1/3 of the trophies exceeded ratio was 40.1:100, the yearling:female ratio where trophy hunting occurs. Analysis of this value. Continued selective elimination 15.4:100, and class III and IV rams the count data indicates an increase in of the largest rams may damage the comprised only 6.1% and class I and II numbers at the beginning of the 1990s general status of populations and the males 11.0% respectively. The overall (including areas with trophy hunts), but a simultaneous shooting of 13-19 prime male:female ratio was only 38:100. The decline was already evident by 1994-95, breeding males is probably too great for corresponding figures for North Aktau were and numbers decreased 2-3 times in comparatively small local populations. For 44.8:100, 23, 0:100, 6.2% and 23.8%, and certain areas by 1997. There are several example, taking 19 rams in 1992 caused a 68:100 respectively. On the Ustyurt plateau, causes for the decline. Most possibly, significant decline in the number of where no trophy hunting occurs, males made trophy hunting is one of them. Also, the trophies above 130 cm length in up 32%, and the mature ones 10%, of the pressure upon pastures in argali habitat subsequent hunts. Such trophies became population, according to earlier has not diminished, despite abrupt and more frequent only after 1995 when observations. It must be noted that the large decreases in livestock numbers. This merely 5 rams were shot. However, these parturition season was not completely is because domestic sheep and cattle are data indicate that the damage done by finished in North Aktau, so the lamb:female now being kept on the ranges year round, over-hunting may not yet be critical. The ratio may eventually have been a little while formerly those pastures were used rams simply may not have had time to higher. As to the population sex structure, only in winter. Fires are another threat that grow up and the trophies were probably the figures given in this report may not be devastate vast areas in spring and summer younger aged animals than the ones taken completely representative because they were almost every year. Poaching is also before 1992. Weakening of hunting obtained in spring, summer or early fall. frequent (Kalmykov 1995) due to pressure in 1995, may have given rams the Most dimorphic caprins, and Ovis in accessibility of argali habitat and a quite chance to grow and dimensions of trophies particular, are notorious for ecological and high human population density. Wolves increased. However, these questions often spatial segregation between adult are very abundant. In 20 days, we counted require further study. males and females outside the rut. 500 argalis and 36 wolves (20 adults and Kazakhstan is the only Central Asian Trophy hunting has been carried out in yearlings, and 16 cubs). A reduction in state in the CIS where part of the income North Aktau since 1990, and a total of 47 livestock numbers could increase from trophy hunts is spent on research, rams have been taken, 30 in 1992 and 1993. predation upon argalis which represent the population counts and protection. In 1993- Despite the break in 1994, the mean age of 8 main wild ungulates in Kazakh 95, 0.7 - 5.3%, 6.5 - 7.2%, and 12.3 - rams shot in 1996 was only 6.5 years, and Melkosopochnik. 33.3% of the income were spent on the 3 the average horn length was 10 cm shorter Our data collected in July in the named activities, respectively (Kalmykov than those taken in 1993. Poorer quality "northern" population (Edrei, Arkalyk and 1995). Hunted animals are measured, trophies seem to be caused not only by Myrzhyk mountains) showed that females weighed and aged, and the stage of moult overharvesting but also by the severe winter outnumbered males, and the lamb:female is noted and parasites are collected.