Marmots - Marmots

Marmots (in Kyrgyz: суурлар)

In Kyrgyzstan, there are two species of marmots: the gray or Altai marmot—Marmota baibacina Kastsch and the red or long-tailed marmot—Marmota caudata Qeoffi.

Some authors (Kashkarov, 1925, 1932; Kuznetsov, 1948; Blagodarova, 1947) indicate the presence of the Menzbier marmot—Marmota menzbieri Kaschk within Kyrgyzstan. This marmot was first described by D. N. Kashkarov in 1925 for the western part of the southern slope of the Talas Ala-Too, and in 1932 he suggested its presence in the Chatkal Ridge. G. V. Blagodarova (1947), while studying the ecology of marmots, noted the Menzbier marmot for the valley of the Chatkal River and the Aflatun area. Repeated studies of the Chatkal Ridge, particularly the upper reaches of the Chatkal River up to Aflatun, did not confirm this. The Menzbier marmot inhabits the western end of the Talas Ala-Too, and (below the Pskem and Ugam ridges, which are not part of Kyrgyzstan.

Listed in the Red Book.

Gray Marmot (in Kyrgyz: кёк суур)

The gray marmot is distributed mainly in the northern and eastern parts of Kyrgyzstan—from the Khan Tengri peak in the east to the Fergana Ridge in the west. Detailed information about its distribution is provided in the works of B. A. Kuznetsov (1948), B. M. Aizin (1966), and others. The population of this marmot was quite high in the past within its range. It is enough to say that in places of its concentration in the valley of the Ak-Sai River, it fluctuated between 1-2, and sometimes more, marmots per hectare. Currently, as a result of overhunting in certain areas, as well as extensive extermination efforts for epidemic control, the population of these animals has sharply decreased; in the same Ak-Sai valley, it is only 0.01 marmots per hectare. In total, in this valley, according to recent data, there are up to 70,000 marmots.

At present, we are witnessing a gradual decline and, in some cases, almost complete disappearance of marmots in vast expanses of the high-altitude Tien Shan.

The gray marmot feeds on succulent plant foods—leaves, flowers, and young shoots, with the composition of plants depending on the habitat. In early spring, when there are still no green plants, marmots consume last year's vegetation. Sometimes they dig up the bulbs of ephemeral plants—tulips and wild garlic.

The first to vegetate are grasses and sedges, the young leaves and shoots of which they feed on. These include: typchak, sedge, astragalus, yellow-flowered plants, ephedra, Turkestan barley, low and hair-like kobrezia, fescue, wormwood, live-bearing knotweed, buttercup, lamb's quarters, and others. Later, the diet includes a variety of herbs—the main summer food for the marmot. With the onset of flowering, legumes are consumed, and at the end of summer, marmots eat green fruits. They are particularly fond of the bulbs of live-bearing knotweed.

In early spring and late summer, animal food (insects and mollusks) is often found in their diet. According to I. I. Stogov, locusts (grasshoppers), caterpillars, ant "eggs," mollusks, land snails, and slugs are found in the stomachs of marmots. Especially often, in the second half of summer, animal remains are found in the feces of marmots living in steppe areas. Apparently, the lack of greenery forces the rodents to switch to an insect diet.

Marmots reproduce once a year. They reach sexual maturity at three years of age. The mating season begins on the 7th-8th day after they emerge to the surface, at the end of March. During this period, increased activity of the marmots is observed. There is another viewpoint that mating occurs in the burrow long before they emerge to the surface. The gestation period for the gray marmot is approximately 35-40 days. The emergence of the young from the burrow occurs in May and early June. The number of offspring in a litter ranges from 4-5 to 6, very rarely 7.

The lactation period lasts 3-4.5 weeks. By mid-July, young marmots the size of yellow susliks can already be found.

The number of young marmots significantly decreases during the summer; they mostly die from various predators, especially foxes. By autumn, an average of 3 young remain in the litters.

Molt begins 3-4 weeks after they emerge to the surface, at the end of April—early May. The onset of molting is directly dependent on the timing of awakening, the meteorological conditions of the year, and the condition of the animal. Molting occurs gradually and ends in August.

Red or Long-tailed Marmot (in Kyrgyz: кызыл суур)

The red marmot is mainly distributed across the southwestern ridges: Talas, Chatkal, Fergana, Alai, Turkestan, and Zaalai, along the southern slope of the Kyrgyz Ridge and in Susamyr. In the east, there are quite large populations of red marmots in areas between the settlements of Taldy-Su and Ak-Tala along the At-Bashinsky Ridge.

On the southern slopes of the Jamangavan mountains, it descends into the Arpa valley to the rivers Sasyk and Malyy Karakman. An isolated population of the red marmot is found on the Naryn Ridge between the Frunze-Torugart road and the Ulandy pass, encompassing the Kara-Too and Alamyshik mountains and between the Naryn and Ala-Buga rivers. On the southern slope of Naryn-Too, areas inhabited by the red marmot are found alongside those of the gray marmot. Within the Chatkal Ridge, the boundary of the red marmot's distribution runs along the confluence of the Kassan-Sai and Terek rivers. Here, the population density varies from 10 to 80 individuals per 1 km². Populations of the red marmot are found in the middle reaches of the Ak-Su River in the Kyn area at an altitude of 2000-2200 m, below the juniper forest. The density of marmots in these areas is low, at only 0.1-0.2 individuals per hectare.

Additionally, subalpine and alpine meadows are very rare here, and most areas located above 4000 m are occupied by juniper forests and shrubs, which are unfavorable for their habitation.

Red marmots are herbivorous animals. In the low mountains, they consume green parts of plants typical for wormwood-typchak steppes: grooved typchak, fescue, Turkestan sedge, Caucasian feather grass, flat-leaved astragalus. They eagerly eat the bulbs of ixilirians and tulips. In the mid-mountains (meadows and meadow-steppes), their diet includes a wide variety of food—young shoots of wormwood, creeping couch grass, fescue, kuziniya, dandelion, horse sorrel, lamb's quarters, various species of sedge, fescue, nettle, and others. In subalpine and alpine meadows, they eat kobrezia, typchak, sedge, buttercup, geranium, and buckwheat, among others.

Before the greenery appears, they feed on last year's shoots of typchak, feather grass, roots of wormwood, bulbs of wild garlic, fescue, and others.

A considerable amount of literature is dedicated to the reproduction of red marmots.

The awakening period of red marmots from hibernation, which lasts 190-200 days, is extended and occurs over 25-30 days. It depends on the absolute altitude of the specific areas where the marmot colonies are located and on weather conditions, usually occurring at the end of March or in the first half of April.

According to literary sources, mating of red marmots begins soon after awakening, but before they emerge to the surface, and ends after they exit their burrows. The gestation period lasts 36-38 days, and lactation lasts 40-45 days.

The birth of young marmots occurs in the second decade of May, and their emergence from the burrow occurs in the second decade of June, i.e., 30 days after birth. Marmots reproduce once a year. The number of embryos per female does not exceed 7, with a minimum of 4, averaging 5. The number of young marmots in a single litter ranges from 1 to 6 individuals, usually 2-3. Only 50-60% of adult females participate in reproduction. The intensity of reproduction in a family gradually decreases over 2-3 years. Sometimes females rest for a year or two after several years of reproduction. Young marmots apparently reach sexual maturity in their third year of life. According to S. A. Berendyaev, the mortality rate of young marmots is about 50% of the yearlings after they emerge to the surface—35-40% of the population, and for one-year-old animals—about 30%.

The fur color of the red marmot after hibernation is dirty-red, and the coat is coarse. Molting begins in late April or early May. In June and the first half of July, all marmots are undergoing molting. The coat changes first on the back, belly, and then on the sides, and lastly on the tail and head, after which it becomes dense, with soft, resilient guard hairs and thick underfur. The end of molting mainly occurs by August 1, and after August 15, even partially molting marmots are not found.

Fauna - Animal World of Kyrgyzstan