The Commercial Harvest of Wildlife in Dornod Aimag, Mongolia

Abstract

We analyzed commercial harvest data from 1932 to 1993 for Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa), gray wolves (Canis lupus), corsac foxes (Vulpes corsac), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), Siberian polecats (Mustela eversmanni), Siberian marmots (Marmota sibirica), and Tolai rabbits (Lepus tolai) from Dornod Aimag, Mongolia. Analyses were post hoc and harvests were probably biased by State-imposed harvest quotas; therefore, statistically significant harvest trends may or may not reflect population trends. Gazelle, wolf, marmot, and fox harvests demonstrated significant decreasing trends, while polecats and rabbits displayed no significant trends. Analyses suggest that government-imposed harvest quotas influenced actual harvests of marmots and foxes. The effect of year on actual harvests was important for gazelle, wolves, and marmots, and may reflect population changes. Reports suggest that poaching is an important source of mortality for gazelle and marmots. Several other studies report declines in numbers of Mongolian gazelle, which once migrated in the millions across most of Mongolia. Wolves are strongly disliked and heavily persecuted by local nomads, officials, and biologists at all levels of government. All species harvested commercially in Dornod Aimag require more careful conservation management to ensure the continued existence of viable populations. Currently, little management or monitoring is occurring.