Instead of the foreword

Wild geese always attracted the attention of rights, and not just as tempting a hunting trophy. Interesting characteristics of these surprisingly nimble birds and even many of their biological characteristics. And if anyone can remain indifferent, saw over a "wedge" flying geese heard in the night sky of intermittent cold cackle. In spring, in May days they seem volnuyusche-solemn, indicating irrevocability of the heat, autumn is their voice in contrast, have long tinge of sadness of separation and irreversibility of winter.

Homeland vast majority of wild geese are tundra and forest-tundra of Eurasia and North America. Found in taiga and they, and the reservoirs and semi arid zones, but they are much smaller.

In Russia, home to 14 species of birds of the taxonomic group, of which: 7 included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation (U.S., beloschekaya and Red Goose, goose-beloshey, white mountain geese, and geese: suhonos and piskulka) 2 - (korotkoklyuvy Bean , The Canadian goose) - small or zaletnye birds. Only 4 types (Bean, White, gray geese, and black brant) are now the targets of hunt. The resources of the geese make up 2,5-2,8 million animals. At the same time, some local populations and groups of these birds, in their vast habitat in need of protection. In the Krasnoyarsk region are 7 species of geese.

On the boundless spaces maloosvoennyh Taimyr and northern taiga and Evenkia Turuhanskogo area so far remained the largest in Asia and the Linnik arctic nesting geese. However, the complex interlocking span ways leading to the majority of birds wintering in Western Europe and East Asia, can not use this facility hunting in most development, the southern region.

The main type of hunting geese Prieniseyskoy Siberia is Bean; White goose, black brant though many, but not used, because they proletnye ways to pass away from heavily populated areas of the province.

Wintering geese, nesting in Krasnoyarsk, located in different parts of Eurasia. Sectors of their dispersion over a huge veerami territory of Western, Southern Europe, South-West, South and East Asia: From Burma to China and Japan. Gusi-Bean from within the province in large numbers winter in China (in the provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Anhui, Jiangxi and others). Gray geese probably fly away to India, part of White geese and piskulek spend the winter in Turkey, Iran and Iraq. A lot of our winter geese found in the river basin. Danube (southeastern Europe) and Severomorsko-Baltic region (Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Poland and Sweden). A sad feature of the distribution of most of our Asian bird populations, is that they winter in the most densely populated areas of the continent, in countries with weak economies and established environmental practices.

Resources operated in the province factions Bean is estimated at 45-60 thousand individuals. The size of most of them are steadily declining.

Of the total diversity of the problems associated with the goose tribe would like to highlight two of the most important. The first cluster of issues linked to learning objectives population levels, the second - to resolve the problems through the application of knowledge to implement measures to conserve the object of animal life ..

Models region, in this sense is Prieniseyskoy southern Siberia, which includes administrative Achinskuyu, Kanskuyu, Krasnoyarsk, Minusinskuyu and part of Lower Angarskuyu group of districts of Krasnoyarsk region, as well as the Republic: Khakassia and Tuva. It is within this territory is the most urbanized center of tenure rights in Central Siberia, this is significant in its scale environmental changes.

The tragic outcome of the Asian populations of geese

Historically considered part of Siberia, has been developed especially booming since the beginning of the twentieth century, a special impetus to the development of the region occurred in the second half of this century, when the tseliny development, the construction of hydroelectric power stations, fast-built industrial facilities KATEKa etc.

In connection with the transformation of habitat, have gone the elements of natural ecosystems (especially wetlands), a particularly vulnerable point where big animals, particularly waterfowl. As a consequence of human-induced effects, within one generation, before our eyes began to melt once numerous groups of geese.

Thus, in mid-1960's., The number of groups Bean migrate through Krasnoyarsk Prichulyme and Minusinskuyu hollow estimated at 100.0 thousand individuals. In the Krasnoyarsk Priangare resources geese have been even higher - 150,0-170,0 thousands of birds. Many hunters then have witnessed tremendous flights goose flocks, where the one point could watch hundreds of birds. In the field goose prisad been very dobychlivaya hunting.

For example, Lake and Big White Kosogol and floodplain river. Serguei (Achinskaya forest) were stopping tens of thousands of geese. String of these birds almost one after another drew to feeding sites or dnevki. Sidbische geese on the lake. Big Kosogol, resembled a giant island alive, and consisting of tens of thousands of birds.

In Kanskoy forest in the region Noshinskogo pond accounted concentrations of birds to 5,0-7,0 thousands of geese. Significant prisady geese were in the middle basin of the river. Usolka where zalivaemyh veshnimi flood waters swamps and lakes on the ice Ulyukol, Tara, there centesimal flocks.

Ambitious was flown Bean on the Lower Angara, when feeding with between. Motygino and Strelkovskim threshold once there were thousands of birds. According to Professor GA Sokolova, geese flocks centesimal bottom feeding vegetation veshnimi knock on the block of ice water, splyvaya while Strelkovskogo threshold in the maelstrom which ldiny kololis and split into smaller fragments. Before the threshold, flocks of geese raised one after another again flew up the river. In some cases kosyaki birds meshed the entire width of the channel Angara and flock to the mouth of the river. Taseeva. Sometimes the backwash geese confronted with birds coming down the waterway, then in their meetings could watch Multilevel whirling centesimal flocks and the continuing gval goose votes. "Local" hunters using yarn-white boats and maskirovochnye gowns, obtain up to 100 and more birds on the gun. It seemed that this abundance of game will not end.

However, already early 1970's. The number of geese has been rapidly declining. The main reason for the sharp decay of these birds are destroyed them wintering in China and the mass poisoning at the stops during migration in 1968-1970 biennium. When there was massive loss of Bean. It was during this period occurred undermining quality reproductive span core groups, after which they are no longer able to recover.

Thus, according to witnesses in Spring Lake Bele, the Black Sea in those years there were hundreds and thousands of geese troupe. Organizovyvalis entire brigade for cleaning decomposing remains of birds from the lake shore and in the fields. The process of the fall of the number of geese has become catastrophic traffic. At that time, wintering in China was the so-called "passerine company and against the geese used live ammunition, the bird has been fired by shrapnel. In 1980-ies only in two provinces of China (Hubey and Shansi) annually produced more than 100.0 thousand species of geese-Bean.

By the early 1990's. have begun to emerge horrific results of this environmental catastrophe. The first thing thrown into the eyes of researchers - is almost complete lack of or very small geese, primarily Bean, the vast expanses of tundra east of the Yenisei, as well as damping the once lively tracks span of these birds in Eastern and Central Siberia. Once slavshiesya abundance of game areas (Anabarskie, Alazeyskie, Indigirskie tundra) have become virtually lifeless desert.

Thus, a negative impact, which includes a number of adverse factors, mainly human order, led to the loss of certain groups of geese, formerly considered to be massive. For example, the size of the pool Angara span groups tundra Bean, for the last 25-30 years has decreased by 3-4 times, on separate plots of 10-15 times. Currently goose hunting on the Angara lost.

No less depressing picture emerged with another large group of geese that migrate through the territory Sharypovskogo, Uzhurskogo, Novoselovskogo areas of Khakassia, Minusinsky, Karatuzsky, Ermakovsky and Shushensky to wintering areas in China. By the early 1970's. This grouping of thousands remained at almost all reservoirs River basin. Chulym, as well as on the Yenisei, on the lakes of Khakassia and Tuva. In the field of spring and autumn stops goose hunting was one of the most popular. There have been cases of mining a hunter 50 or even 100 geese per season.

By the early 1990's. strength of the group fell to 20-25 thousand, and continues to decline. Illustrated that provide data received nearly 20-year period on a group of geese-Bean staying spring near the Great Lakes and White Kosogol (Uzhursky district). Back in the late 1980's. in these lands concentrated up to 10-15 thousand span geese. In 1995 -1996 biennium. has been taken into account only about 1,500 birds, in 1997-1998 .- 300-500 individuals.

On the whole, obviously, there is a problem associated with the rigid regulations of this type. At the insistence of the scientific community in the spring season in 1997 in Achinskoy, Kanskoy, Lower Angarskoy Minusinsk groups and areas, hunting geese has been temporarily closed. Unfortunately, this act of territorial specially designated entities related to normalization of hunting geese and beyond.

Sobering after the exodus

Over the past 10 years, much has changed environment, both through the passage and wintering, and breeding areas. In the FIA Asia, in addition to the rapid development of wetland habitats and to involve them in marketing, significantly enhance the protection of birds, including the far from the most developed countries. At wintering in the late 1980's. intensive work is to identify particularly important for migratory bird habitats. A network of protected wetlands in Asia. Only in China over the past 5-10 years, more than 90 protected areas, including for the protection of waterfowl and geese in particular. Regular registrations of the wintering and local bird populations, most regularly, under the auspices of IUCN and wetlands interneyshenel (ex MBIV) and a number of other international environmental organizations.

Many Asian countries are actively engaged in addressing the challenges of the Ramsar Convention on the Protection of wetlands, especially as Waterfowl and paraaquatic birds. In the territories of most Asian states implemented the major multinational projects ACWA and the MAB. India (unlike in Russia) has been actively fulfilling the Russian (Soviet) - Indian Convention on the protection of migratory birds concluded in 1984

Of course, not always successfully promoted environmental protection measures, however, need to take into account that part of the Asian continent economically backward and poor state, so most of them can not without aid from outside, to implement the wildlife itself. At the same time, States such as Nepal has already established a national network of protected wetland areas. Active part in creating such a system PNAs are Malaysia, Thailand, India, Iran, South Korea, Japan and others. For this work, joined by China, although the results of environmental activities are still far from perfect.

To enhance the protection of geese in some parts of the Asian part of Russia. Created or established a number of specially protected areas at various levels (large reserves: Taimyr, Big Arctic, Ust-Lensky, Magadan, Hankaysky, Toreysky, Selenginsky, Ubsunurskaya hollow, "Chazy" reserves: "Chaygurgino" Purinsky etc.) . in some regions formed regional networks of protected wetlands (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Khakassia, Kamchatka region, part of Buryatia and Irkutsk Region). However, these activities are clearly not enough - requires coordinated interstate action in the protection and rational use of resources geese. The solution to this problem will determine the future of geese Asian populations.

How can geese live-my gripping?

As mentioned geese - one of the most important sites amateur hunting. In addition to these birds unique concentration of genetic material invaluable base for the selection work. At the same time, special research covering all the diversity of bird life in this group was relatively little. Not many general plan for the ecology and biology of birds of this group are much in demand, but they are scattered in numerous publications. Especially little information status of the number of geese to regional and local populations. In this respect Krasnoyarsk region occupies a special place. Its territory stretches from the center of the Asian continent to the shores of the Arctic Ocean nearly 3000 km. Within the edges are almost all natural areas temperate, subarctic and arctic zones (from the arctic desert, tundra, boreal forest to forest, steppes and mountain countries). A variety of climatic conditions and determines the diversity of wildlife in general and fauna goose in particular. For example, only in the territory of Krasnoyarsk region inhabited by 4 subspecies of goose-Bean, which were also included a number of local groups. Less complex structure within species are White-fronted Goose, piskulka, Red Goose and appears gray goose. While in other parts of the range it is less diverse. Reasons for this phenomenon is that in our region there is a peculiar phenomenon zoogeograficheskogo: there is a zone eniseyskoy meridional boundaries Palearctic - ecological frontier, delineated at least 3 faunal macrostructure. In this regard, many animals, especially migratory birds, with common areas of reproduction are diametrically opposed ways of passage and wintering places, and therefore belong to different population groups.

Due to the fact that a pair of geese are on the wintering and passage ways, the mixing of birds from different factions happening relatively slowly. Due to the heterogeneity of population composition is very complex and confusing picture of seasonal migrations.

Thus the appearance of geese in southern and northern region could take place around the same time. At the same time, migration span groups of geese occur against a backdrop of local nesting. For example, in the spring, the emergence of the first geese in the steppe and forest areas of Southern province and Khakassia, and in the pool Syma and Eloguya roughly the same - the end of April, early May. The only difference is that in the south of geese proletnye, but eniseyskoy average taiga - birds nesting in the field. When the geese populations of the northern rush to nesting in the tundra areas (the third decade of May), taiga Bean has to be nasizhivat immure. Another feature of our geese is that nepolovozrelye and single birds always priletayut in place later nesting adults. But before they begin to moult and earlier than adults with vyvodkami leave the area of reproduction and fly off in the winter. This allows them to better use the food base through the passage of food and to avoid competition with adult birds involved in reproduction.

Migrate through the south of Krasnoyarsk region, Khakassia and Tuva-Bean geese belong to the western tundra subspecies, which explains their long, almost month stay here in the spring. In Sayan, eniseyskoy middle and northern taiga and forest dwells partly in the Siberian taiga Bean. Turuhanskogo Limits, north Yenisei and Igarskogo areas inhabited by other form of taiga goose - Euro-Siberian forest Bean. In eastern Taimyr found vostochnosibirsky tundra subspecies Bean, which is rarely penetrates to the south of the province, his detour to the east, across Lake Baikal. Another curious feature of geese proletayuschih south region, is their origin, since their nesting places are not located in the tundra Taimyr, as traditionally believed, but somewhere in the north of Western Siberia including Gydan or Tazovsky Peninsula. The birds, breeding in the Taimyr fly through pools Angara, Podkamennoy and Lower Tunguska and in the province, barely used.

We found that tundra Bean overcome the region adhering to certain routes of migration. In central and southern edges are allocated two lively tracks the passage: Central Asia-Verhneeniseysko-Ob and the Baikal-Angara-Eniseyskaya. In the basin of Middle Angara seen another way span geese - Baikal-Angara-Tunguska.

One of the important features of the biology of these groups of geese is their relatively low productivity because of the dwelling in regions with large human pressure on natural ecosystems (variety of violations, a factor for concern, excessive removal), and weak protection. Thus, the number has already said that migrate through the region grouping geese, is slowly declining, (average - at 5-8 thousands of animals in season). At its nearly 3500 km road from wintering sites in China to the nesting area on the tundra Gydana, the population annually loses 5-10% polovozrelyh females. An average of reproduction begin only 15-20% of adult birds.

There is an urgent need to accelerate work on the conservation of birds of the group. In the worst case ohata to geese in southern edge could disappear forever.

Another even more serious situation by using the resources of geese nazrevaet Turuhanskom in the area. A release of Red Book of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, which included a number of species and subspecies of our geese. In particular, to be included on its pages recommended Siberian taiga Bean. The resources of this subspecies living in the taiga of Central and Eastern Siberia, a disastrous decline across habitats, including among and within the province. At the same time Turuhanskom area, where according to preliminary figures inhabit 10-15 thousandth group practiced hunting for this goose. The annual removal of the birds now exceeds 3000 individuals.

In connection with the imminent ban hunting have sharp contradiction with the local population, a counting hunt goose a long-awaited event after the long polar winter. At the same time, there is a way out of this difficult situation, which is to refocus on the hunt more numerous groups of other subspecies Bean.

Afterword

In recent years, wild geese are attracted special attention of specialists also because of some geese breeding in Russia, particularly alarming. Once again, after a relatively short period of stabilization trend reduction of some geese Krasnoyarya. Thus, in a particularly alarming situation in Krasnoyarsk population piskulki. But in the early 1980's. this kind do not raise particular concerns, because of its strength was estimated at 110.0 thousand individuals. It currently does not exceed 12.0 thousand birds. In virtually disappeared from the fauna of the region of another kind - suhonos. A small group of his still preserved in Tuva. Threatened is Sayan population of taiga Bean and groups of gray goose Minusinsk, Nazarovskoy Kanskoy and hollows.

It also noted the growth of Red and black kazarok, White goose. Apparently expanding its range and mountain goose. However, in general, the situation is extremely tense. The factions are the main types of geese in the depressed condition and require urgent measures to protect and regulate use. The situation is increasingly complicated, especially omission of public authorities to save the resource potential of this group of hunting resources. Need program to save the geese region, and the general public and scientific support for the implementation of priority actions to safeguard the kernel goose populations.

The map shows the main migration routes of birds in the subfamily goose Prieniseyskoy Siberia, colors are: pink - Bean (Anser fabalis), violet - a small swan (Cygnus bewickii), blue - White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons), black - black goose (Branta bernicla)