Altai weasel Mustela altaica Pallas, 1811 in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast (2011–2021 data)

Abstract

Altai weasel, Mustela altaica, is listed in the Red Data Books of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast and Amur Region, Primorsky Krai and Khabarovsky Krai as Transbaikalian weasel, M. altaica raddei Ognev, 1928. It was included in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation in 2001, but was not listed in its new version of 2021. This article presents original data on the Altai weasel sightings in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast and in the Bastak Nature Reserve separately over the past 10 years, as well as the estimated abundance of the species in the region. Based on these data, it was established that the Altai weasel in the region is endangered. Measures for the protection of the Far Eastern population of the Altai weasel and the restoration of its abundance in the region are proposed. In particular, it is recommended to change the rarity status of the subspecies in the regional Red Data Book from the second category to the first category and to restore the Altai weasel in the Red Data Book of Russia with the rarity status category 1 (an endangered species).