Around 1,000 lynxes and 500 bears live in Belarus
Aleksandr Chaikovsky, the Director General of the Scientific-Practical Centre for Bioresources at the National Academy of Sciences, has commented on modern wildlife in Belarus
According to him, around 1,000 lynxes are registered in Belarus but – if to take the population management plan as a basis – up to 1,500 animals could live on the country’s territory.
Mr. Chaikovsky notes that before enlisting an animal into the Red Book, specialists investigate how viable its population is and whether it is vulnerable to various factors. The lynx population is being studied in Belarus for several years so far but the lack of snow cover during mild winters has made it impossible to prepare a detailed and more accurate survey. “We analyse the data obtained by the questionnaire method, so there is a certain percentage of unreliability,” the expert adds.
Mr. Chaikovsky also says that around 500 Red Book bears are recorded in the country. These take into account migratory animals. In total, nine bear habitats are officially protected in the country.
According to the latest data, 2,365 aurochs live in Belarus, including 675 of them in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Mr. Chaikovsky explains, “If you look at the population map, the northernmost is in the Rossony District, the southernmost – in the Polesie Radiation and Ecological Reserve. There is not a single micro-population beyond the Dnieper in the Gomel Region, although the land there is used less intensively. It was partially exposed to radioactive contamination but there are enough places there that could potentially be used to create new micro-populations for aurochs.”
