Gray Monitor / Boz Echkemer, Boz Zemzem / Transcaspian Desert Monitor
Gray Monitor
Status: Category CR A4bc; E. In Kyrgyzstan - fragmented populations of the declining [1, 11, 12] South-Turanian subspecies of the southwestern Palaearctic species, at the periphery of its range; the only representative of the family in the region. The subspecies is included in CITES Appendix I, in the Red Books of the USSR (category III) [14], Kazakhstan (II, VU) [10], and all Central Asian states [1, 4, 9, 11, 12, 13], and according to some data [4, 10], it is also included in the IUCN RLTS.
General distribution and in the country. The range of V g. caspius includes Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Southern Kazakhstan (north to Ustyurt, east to the Fergana Range), with other subspecies found on the Arabian Peninsula, in North Africa, Pakistan, and Western India. In Kyrgyzstan, it was previously noted in several areas almost throughout the foothill zone of Pre-Fergana (see [11]), and even earlier - in the Chui and Talas valleys [11, 25]. Recently, the habitat area has evidently decreased significantly [4]; in 1985, traces were found near the city of Osh [20], and single individuals were observed in 1992 near the city of Kok-Yangak and in 2005 near the village of Kyrgyz-Kyshtak [19].
Habitat. Deserts and semi-deserts, adyrs in the foothills of the Turkestan, Katrang-Too, Alay, Kichik-Alay, Keklik-Too, Bozbu-Too, Atoynok, Baubash-Atyn, and Fergana ranges [4, 5]. In several places, the deterioration of habitat conditions has led to the displacement of the species into unsuitable biotopes: for example, near the city of Kok-Yangak, the monitor is noted in shrub thickets on rocky slopes with pistachio sparse forest.
Population. Rare everywhere, modern data on the number of populations of the species and their status in Kyrgyzstan are absent due to extreme rarity.
Life style (life cycles). It uses burrows of rodents, birds, and tortoises as shelters, which it expands, and also digs its own burrows up to 3 m in length. Active from April to October, during the daytime. It feeds on almost all animals it can catch (rodents, lizards, birds, tortoises, snakes and their eggs, insects, solifuges, etc.); toxic saliva helps immobilize large prey. Sexual maturity is reached in the third year of life. In a clutch (June - early July) - 6-20 eggs weighing up to 15 g [1 et al.]. The incubation period is up to three months, and the young leave for hibernation immediately after birth and appear on the surface only in the spring of the following year [7, 20, 25].
Limiting factors. In the past - skin harvesting [1, 4, 9], hunting for supposedly medicinal meat [4, 11, 19, 20]. The main factor at present is the reduction of suitable habitats due to agricultural development of semi-deserts and adyrs (plowing, livestock grazing), as well as the expansion of settlements and the development of the mining industry. Predator pressure has been noted (corsacs, jackals, ferrets, birds of prey, domestic dogs) [1, 10 et al.]. Breeding (keeping in captivity). Not conducted in Kyrgyzstan. It is kept in zoos [13, 14], very rarely in amateur terrariums [3, 18], and there are no known cases of breeding in captivity [14].
Existing conservation measures. Listed in CITES Appendix I and in the Red Books of several countries. In Kyrgyzstan, none of the species' habitats are located within existing protected areas, a complete ban on hunting has been introduced, with civil liability established for violations; monitoring of population status and species protection is assigned to the state hunting supervision service [11].
Recommended conservation measures. Development of breeding methods, widespread promotion of conservation, and monitoring compliance with the capture prohibition. The urgent need for the establishment of a special reserve in the Fergana Valley has been repeatedly noted [13, 14].
Boz echkemer, boz zemzem
Transcaspian Desert Monitor
Varanus griseus (Daudin, 1803) ssp. caspius (Eichwald, 1831)
Status: Endangered (category ENA4bc); E, sporadically distributed South-Turanian subspecies of the south-west-Palaearctic largest lizard species, endangered (near critically) in the country - marginal populations are in the zone of intensive human economic land development. The subspecies area is mosaic and includes Iran, Afghanistan, Southern Kazakhstan, and Middle Asia (other subspecies are in Northern Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, and Western India). In Kyrgyzstan, it was registered in sandy, clayey, and metal deserts and semi-deserts in arid plains and the piedmont zone of the Fergana region; at present, it has vanished in many habitats. The species is listed in Appendix I of CITES and in the Red Books of adjacent former Soviet countries. It is a diurnal active predator; females lay 6-20 eggs in June or the beginning of July. Incubation is nearly 3 months; young appear after hibernation (in holes) in April and achieve reproductive age at the 3rd-4th year. Limiting factors: agricultural development of habitats (ploughing-up, pasturage in arid zones), persecution by people, and natural enemies. It is not bred in Kyrgyzstan; hunting and capture are prohibited, but habitats are not covered by protected territory. Development of breeding in captivity, wide explanatory work for people, and control for capture prohibition are offered for conservation of the species.
