Чужорідні види ссавців району природного заповідника «Дніпровсько-Орільський»

Abstract

The paper provides information on alien mammal species occurring in the territory of the Dnipro–Oril Nature Reserve. The data were collected during annual mammal surveys and by compiling the data provided in the Chronicles of Nature of previous years (1991–2022) within the framework of the scientific topic ‘Study of biodiver-sity, structure and dynamics of natural complexes of the Dnipro–Oril Nature Re-serve.’ Since the creation of the reserve, 44 species of mammals belonging to six orders (Leporiformes, Muriformes, Soriciformes, Vespertilioniformes, Caniformes, and Cerviformes) have been recorded in its territory. The species diversity of mammals of the reserve corresponds to 71% of the mammal fauna of Dniprope-trovsk Oblast and 34% of the mammal fauna of Ukraine. Most of the mammal species found in the reserve are indigenous but the raccoon dog Nyctereutes procy-onoides, muskrat Ondatra zibethicus, and sika deer Cervus nippon, which are arti-ficially introduced species. In addition, the brown rat Rattus norvegicus and the house mouse Mus musculus are distant invaders. The beech marten Martes foina, Blyth’s pipistrelle Pipistrellus lepidus, and serotine bat Eptesicus serotinus are close invaders. Alien species make up 18% of the mammal fauna of the reserve, being represented by a total of eight species. However, there are also species with fluctuating ranges in the studied area: European roe deer Capreolus capreolus, elk Alces alces, Eurasian otter Lutra lutra, Eurasian badger Meles meles, and wild boar Sus scrofa. The periodic contraction and expansion of their ranges within the region makes them similar to introduced species. The presence of the majority of adventive species was registered during the first inventory of the fauna of the described territory during the establishment of the reserve in 1991. However, the first sighting of serotine bat occurred in March 2013 in the floodplain part of the reserve, and the sighting of Blyth’s pipistrelle in the reserve was recorded in the spring of 2016. The article describes the specifics of the existence of alien mammal species in the reserve. The dynamics of abundance, population structure, diet, and environmental impact are presented. Other adventive species that could possibly be found in this territory in the near future are the American mink Neogale vison and golden jackal Canis aureus. A case of visual observation of the coypu Myocastor coypus in the vicinity of the reserve is also presented.