Estimation of the ecological density of some species of hunting animals according to winter route censuses

Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of the possibility of determining the ecological density of game animals according to winter route censuses. Determining the density of game animals is a prerequisite for determining their prey quotas. The most valuable parameter characterizing population estimation of specific species of game animals is ecological density. She calculated for the area actually inhabited by a particular animal species. The population density, calculated on the area suitable for the type of land, is widely used in the practice of domestic hunting. Territories with feeding and protective properties for this species are considered suitable sites. The materials of winter route counts confirm that the territories suitable for any animal species are not always completely populated by it, and the territories recognized as unsuitable are visited by these animals. Tracking activity of game animals is recorded both in areas that are considered suitable for the species, and in areas that are not typical for it. The territory of the animal during the day is the area lying inside the minimum convex contour drawn around the daily track of this animal. In this case, as the territory occupied by some animal, we can consider the territory obtained by combining all the minimum convex contours drawn around all daily traces left by this animal for a certain time. The union of the minimum convex contours drawn around all daily traces left by all animals of a given species during the period of accounting work can be considered as the territory inhabited by them at this time of the year. The crossing of a track by a route is a random event. Therefore, to determine the ecological density of a species according to the winter route censuses data, it is necessary to apply the probability theory.