sevinПОВОЛЖСКИЙ ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ ЖУРНАЛPovolzhskiy Journal of Ecology1684-73182541-8963Федеральное государственное бюджетное учреждение науки Институт проблем экологии и эволюции им. А. Н. Северцова РАН; Товарищество научных изданий КМК.10.35885/1684-7318-2025-4-452-460sevin-699Research ArticleСтатьиДемографическая структура волго-уральской популяции сайгаков (Saiga tatarica (Linnaeus, 1766)) (Bovidae, Mammalia), мигрирующих в Саратовское ЗаволжьеDemographic structure of the Volga-Ural population of saiga antelopes (Saiga tatarica (Linnaeus, 1766)) (Bovidae, Mammalia) migrating to the Saratov Trans-Volga regionhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9629-7579ОпаринМ. Л.OparinM. I.

Опарин Михаил Львович

Лаборатория экологии наземных позвоночных степной зоны  

410028, г. Саратов, ул. Рабочая, д. 24

Mikhail L. Oparin

Laboratory of Ecology of Terrestrial Vertebrates of the Steppe Zone

24 Rabochaya St., Saratov 410028

oparinml@mail.ruhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3810-6324МамаевА. Б.MamaevA. B.

Мамаев Асхат Борисович

410028, г. Саратов, ул. Рабочая, д. 24

Askhat B. Mamaev

24 Rabochaya St., Saratov 410028

acxat_86@mail.ruhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5581-4122ОпаринаО. С.OparinaO. S.

Опарина Ольга Сергеевна

410028, г. Саратов, ул. Рабочая, д. 24

Olga S. Oparina

24 Rabochaya St., Saratov 410028

otis07@mail.ruСуховС. В.SukhovS. V.

Сухов Сергей Валентинович

410012, г. Саратов, ул. Университетская, д. 45/51

Sergey V. Sukhov

45/51 Universitetskaya St., Saratov 410012

centurie@mail.ruСаратовский филиал Института проблем экологии и эволюции им. А. Н. Северцова РАНРоссияSaratov Branch of A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of SciencesRussian FederationКомитет охотничьего хозяйства и рыболовства Саратовской областиРоссияCommittee of Hunting and Fishing of the Saratov RegionRussian Federation20250401202604452460Copyright © Опарин М.Л., Мамаев А.Б., Опарина О.С., Сухов С.В., 20262026Опарин М.Л., Мамаев А.Б., Опарина О.С., Сухов С.В.Oparin M.I., Mamaev A.B., Oparina O.S., Sukhov S.V.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://sevin.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/699

Показана демографическая структура мигрирующих в Cаратовское Заволжье сайгаков волго-уральской популяции. Установлено, что животные из Западно-Казахстанской области Республики Казахстан появляются в приграничных районах Cаратовского Заволжья во второй – третьей декадах апреля в зависимости от погодных условий конкретных лет. В конце мая миграция в основном заканчивается, животные разбиваются на группы и распространяются по территории ряда районов Саратовского Заволжья. По нашим наблюдениям и опросным данным, в период с 2011 г. по начало 2020-х гг. количество сайгаков, заходящих весной в Cаратовское Заволжье, составляло от нескольких тысяч до десятков тысяч. В последние годы по мере увеличения численности всей популяции эта цифра возросла до нескольких сотен, а в 2025 г. – до многих сотен тысяч особей. По нашим наблюдениям, на территорию области мигрируют как самки с родившимися на территории Казахстана прибылыми, так и беременные и яловые. Количество самцов, мигрирующих вместе со стадами самок с прибылыми, невелико. В начале миграции в 2025 г. количество прибылых на одну взрослую самку составляло 0.9 особей, однако в третьей декаде июня этот показатель репродуктивного процесса увеличился до 1.6 особей. Данное обстоятельство говорит об окоте самок сайгаков и на территории Cаратовского Заволжья, что подтверждают и наши опросные данные. В последней декаде июля, при обследовании всей территории распространения сайгаков в Cаратовском Заволжье, этот показатель составил 1.5 особей. Скорее всего, данный факт можно объяснить некоторым отходом сеголеток. Количество взрослых самцов возрастает от 2.3% в первой декаде мая, до 6.7% в третьей декаде июня и до 8.3% в третьей декаде июля. Из этих данных можно сделать вывод, что миграция самцов растянута во времени, но их основная часть остается на территории Казахстана, что подтверждают наши наблюдения во время экспедиционных поездок в Западно-Казахстанскую область в 2011 – 2019 гг. по маршрутам Джанибек – Арал-сор и затем Джанибек – Борсы.

The demographic structure of the Volga–Ural population of saigas migrating to the Saratov Trans-Volga region is shown. It has been established that animals from the West Kazakhstan region (Republic of Kazakhstan) appear in the border areas of the Saratov Trans-Volga region in the second and third decades of April, depending on the weather conditions of specific years. At the end of May, migration mainly ends, and the animals split into groups and spread across a number of areas in the Saratov Trans-Volga region. According to our observations and survey data, between 2011 and the early 2020s, the number of saigas entering the Saratov Trans-Volga region in spring ranged from several thousand to tens of thousands. In recent years, as the entire population has grown, this figure has increased to several hundred, and in 2025, to many hundreds of thousands of individuals. According to our observations, both females with calves born in Kazakhstan and pregnant and barren females migrate to the region. The number of males migrating together with herds of females is small. At the beginning of migration in 2025, the number of arrivals per adult female was 0.9 individuals, but this reproductive rate increased to 1.6 individuals in the third decade of June. This circumstance indicates the calving of female saigas in the Saratov TransVolga region, which is confirmed by our survey data. In the last decade of July, when the entire territory of saiga distribution in the Saratov Trans-Volga region was surveyed, this indicator was 1.5 individuals. Most likely, this fact could be explained by some departure of yearlings. The number of adult males increases from 2.3% in the first ten days of May to 6.7% in the third ten days of June and to 8.3% in the third ten days of July. From these data, we can conclude that the migration of males is spread out over time, but most of them remain in Kazakhstan, which is confirmed by our observations during expedition trips to the West Kazakhstan region in 2011–2019 along the Zhanybek–Aralsor and then Zhanybek–Borsy routes.

Saiga tataricaСаратовское Заволжьеволго-уральская популяциядемографическая структуравесенне-летняя миграцияSaiga tataricaSaratov Trans-Volga regionVolga-Ural populationdemographic structurespring–summer migrationReferencesAbaturov B. D. Mlekopitayushchie kak komponent ekosistemy (na primere rastitel'noyadnykh mlekopitayushchikh v polupustyne) [Mammals as the Component of Ecosystems (Herbivore Mammals in Semi-arid Zones)]. Moscow, Nauka, 1984. 285 p. (in Russian).Abaturov B. D. Mlekopitayushchie kak komponent ekosistemy (na primere rastitel'noyadnykh mlekopitayushchikh v polupustyne) [Mammals as the Component of Ecosystems (Herbivore Mammals in Semi-arid Zones)]. Moscow, Nauka, 1984. 285 p. (in Russian).Abaturov B. D. The population of saiga antelopes in Russia and the problems of its preservation. Herald of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2007, vol. 77, no. 5, pp. 462–469. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1019331607050036Abaturov B. D. The population of saiga antelopes in Russia and the problems of its preservation. Herald of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2007, vol. 77, no. 5, pp. 462–469. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1019331607050036Abaturov B. D., Larionov K. O., Dzhapova R. R., Kolesnikov M. P. Feed quality and food availability for saiga antelopes (Saiga tatarica) in the conditions of regenerative vegetation change in the Chyonye Zempli of Kalmykia. Zoologicheskii Zhurnal, 2008, vol. 87, no. 12, pp. 1524–1530 (in Russian).Abaturov B. D., Larionov K. O., Dzhapova R. R., Kolesnikov M. P. Feed quality and food availability for saiga antelopes (Saiga tatarica) in the conditions of regenerative vegetation change in the Chyonye Zempli of Kalmykia. Zoologicheskii Zhurnal, 2008, vol. 87, no. 12, pp. 1524–1530 (in Russian).Absatirov G., Smagulov D., Bozymov K., Shalmenov M., Nassambayev Y., Yessengaliyev K., Baitlessova L., Girisgin A. O. Risks to the growth, conservation and management of the Ural saiga population. Diversity, 2025, vol. 17, article no. 595. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17090595Absatirov G., Smagulov D., Bozymov K., Shalmenov M., Nassambayev Y., Yessengaliyev K., Baitlessova L., Girisgin A. O. Risks to the growth, conservation and management of the Ural saiga population. Diversity, 2025, vol. 17, article no. 595. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17090595Bannikov A. G., Flint V. E. The order Artiodactyla. In: Sokolov V. E., ed. Animal Life. Vol. 7: Mammals. 2nd ed. Moscow, Prosveshchenie, 1989, pp. 493–495 (in Russian).Bannikov A. G., Flint V. E. The order Artiodactyla. In: Sokolov V. E., ed. Animal Life. Vol. 7: Mammals. 2nd ed. Moscow, Prosveshchenie, 1989, pp. 493–495 (in Russian).Bannikov A. G., Zhirnov L. V., Lebedeva L. S., Fandeev A. A. Biologiya saigaka [Biology of the Saiga Antelope]. Moscow, Sel'khozizdat, 1961. 336 p. (in Russian).Bannikov A. G., Zhirnov L. V., Lebedeva L. S., Fandeev A. A. Biologiya saigaka [Biology of the Saiga Antelope]. Moscow, Sel'khozizdat, 1961. 336 p. (in Russian).Bukreeva O. M. The European saiga population (Saiga tatarica L.) and the factors determining its condition. Thesis Diss. Cand. Sci. (Biol.). Moscow, 2002. 24 p. (in Russian).Bukreeva O. M. The European saiga population (Saiga tatarica L.) and the factors determining its condition. Thesis Diss. Cand. Sci. (Biol.). Moscow, 2002. 24 p. (in Russian).Grachev Yu. A., Meldebekov A. M., Bekenov A. B. Number, structure and reproduction of saiga population in Kazakhstan. Steppe Bulletin, 2009, no. 27, pp. 47–50 (in Russian).Grachev Yu. A., Meldebekov A. M., Bekenov A. B. Number, structure and reproduction of saiga population in Kazakhstan. Steppe Bulletin, 2009, no. 27, pp. 47–50 (in Russian).Harris G., Thirgood S., Hopcraft J. G. C., Cromsigt J. P. G. M., Berger J. Global decline in aggregated migrations of large terrestrial mammals. Endangered Species Research, 2009, vol. 7, pp. 55–76. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00173Harris G., Thirgood S., Hopcraft J. G. C., Cromsigt J. P. G. M., Berger J. Global decline in aggregated migrations of large terrestrial mammals. Endangered Species Research, 2009, vol. 7, pp. 55–76. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00173Karimova T. Yu., Lushchekina A. A., Neronov V. M. Saiga populations of Russia and Kazakhstan: Current status and retrospective analysis of some biological parameters. Arid Ecosystems, 2021, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 164–172. https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079096121020074Karimova T. Yu., Lushchekina A. A., Neronov V. M. Saiga populations of Russia and Kazakhstan: Current status and retrospective analysis of some biological parameters. Arid Ecosystems, 2021, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 164–172. https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079096121020074Kirikov S. V. Promyslovye zhivotnye, prirodnaya sreda, chelovek [Commercial Animals, Natural Environment, and Man]. Moscow, Nauka, 1966. 348 p. (in Russian).Kirikov S. V. Promyslovye zhivotnye, prirodnaya sreda, chelovek [Commercial Animals, Natural Environment, and Man]. Moscow, Nauka, 1966. 348 p. (in Russian).Lindeman, G. V., Abaturov, B. D., Bykov, A. V., Lopushkov, V. A. Dinamika naseleniya pozvonochnykh zhivotnykh Zavolzhskoi polupustyni [Dynamics of the Vertebrate Animal Population in Semidesert of the East of the Volga River]. Moscow, Nauka, 2005. 252 p. (in Russian).Lindeman, G. V., Abaturov, B. D., Bykov, A. V., Lopushkov, V. A. Dinamika naseleniya pozvonochnykh zhivotnykh Zavolzhskoi polupustyni [Dynamics of the Vertebrate Animal Population in Semidesert of the East of the Volga River]. Moscow, Nauka, 2005. 252 p. (in Russian).Lushchekina A. A. Possible causes of saiga antelope deaths from pasteurellosis. Saiga News, 2010, iss. 11, pp. 3–4 (in Russian).Lushchekina A. A. Possible causes of saiga antelope deaths from pasteurellosis. Saiga News, 2010, iss. 11, pp. 3–4 (in Russian).Lushchekina A. A., Kholodova M. V., Milner-Gulland E. J. Saiga: Living in arid environment. In: Encyclopedia of Mammals, Great Britain, 2000, pp. 258–262.Lushchekina A. A., Kholodova M. V., Milner-Gulland E. J. Saiga: Living in arid environment. In: Encyclopedia of Mammals, Great Britain, 2000, pp. 258–262.Magerramov Sh. V., Matrosov A. N., Bocharnikova T. A., Grazhdanov A. K., Martsokha K. S., Kuznetsov A. A., Sludsky A. A., Popov N. V. Decrease in the population of the small ground squirrel – Spermophilus pygmaeus Pallas, 1779 (Rodentia, Sciuromorpha, Sciuridae) in the Volga– Ural steppe natural focus of plague. Povolzhskiy Journal of Ecology, 2025, no. 1, pp. 48–63 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.35885/1684-7318-2025-1-48-63Magerramov Sh. V., Matrosov A. N., Bocharnikova T. A., Grazhdanov A. K., Martsokha K. S., Kuznetsov A. A., Sludsky A. A., Popov N. V. Decrease in the population of the small ground squirrel – Spermophilus pygmaeus Pallas, 1779 (Rodentia, Sciuromorpha, Sciuridae) in the Volga– Ural steppe natural focus of plague. Povolzhskiy Journal of Ecology, 2025, no. 1, pp. 48–63 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.35885/1684-7318-2025-1-48-63Mann H. B., Whitney D. R. On a test of whether one of two random variables is stochastically larger than the other. The Annals of Mathematical Statistics, 1947, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 50–60.Mann H. B., Whitney D. R. On a test of whether one of two random variables is stochastically larger than the other. The Annals of Mathematical Statistics, 1947, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 50–60.Morrison J. C., Sechrest W., Dinerstein E., Wilcove D. S., Lamoreux J. F. Persistence of large mammal faunas as indicators of global human impacts. Journal of Mammalogy, 2007, vol. 88, iss. 6, pp. 1363–1380. https://doi.org/10.1644/06-MAMM-A-124R2.1Morrison J. C., Sechrest W., Dinerstein E., Wilcove D. S., Lamoreux J. F. Persistence of large mammal faunas as indicators of global human impacts. Journal of Mammalogy, 2007, vol. 88, iss. 6, pp. 1363–1380. https://doi.org/10.1644/06-MAMM-A-124R2.1Myrzabayev A., Ibraibekov Z., Bodeev M., Britko V., Yelshina K., Tilla Z., Gongalsky K. The current state of the saiga (Saiga tatarica L.) population in Betpak-Dala (Kazakhstan). Acta Scientiarum. Animal Sciences, 2024, vol. 46, no. 1, article no. e69380. https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v46i1.69380Myrzabayev A., Ibraibekov Z., Bodeev M., Britko V., Yelshina K., Tilla Z., Gongalsky K. The current state of the saiga (Saiga tatarica L.) population in Betpak-Dala (Kazakhstan). Acta Scientiarum. Animal Sciences, 2024, vol. 46, no. 1, article no. e69380. https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v46i1.69380Neronov V. M., Dubinin M. Yu., Karimova T. Yu., Lushchekina A. A., Arylova N. Yu. Current state and prospects of preserving saiga antelope in northwest Pre-Caspian region. Arid Ecosystems, 2013, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 57–64. https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079096113020078Neronov V. M., Dubinin M. Yu., Karimova T. Yu., Lushchekina A. A., Arylova N. Yu. Current state and prospects of preserving saiga antelope in northwest Pre-Caspian region. Arid Ecosystems, 2013, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 57–64. https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079096113020078Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia dated August 11, 2021 No. 30-r “On Approval of the Strategy for the Conservation of Saiga Antelope in the Russian Federation”. Moscow, Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, 2021. 45 p. (in Russian).Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia dated August 11, 2021 No. 30-r “On Approval of the Strategy for the Conservation of Saiga Antelope in the Russian Federation”. Moscow, Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, 2021. 45 p. (in Russian).Orynbayev M. B., Rystayeva R. A., Kerimbayev A. A., Kopeev S. K., Kospanova M. N., Kydyrbayev Zh. K. Cases of mass mortality among saiga antelopes of the Ural population in Kazakhstan. Actual Questions of Veterinary Biology, 2013, no. 1 (17), pp. 20–26 (in Russian).Orynbayev M. B., Rystayeva R. A., Kerimbayev A. A., Kopeev S. K., Kospanova M. N., Kydyrbayev Zh. K. Cases of mass mortality among saiga antelopes of the Ural population in Kazakhstan. Actual Questions of Veterinary Biology, 2013, no. 1 (17), pp. 20–26 (in Russian).Rozhnov V. V., Yachmennikova A. A., Dobrynin D. V. On possibility to identify the saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) on very-high resolution satellite images. Doklady Biological Sciences, 2014, vol. 459, pp. 358–362. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0012496614060118Rozhnov V. V., Yachmennikova A. A., Dobrynin D. V. On possibility to identify the saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) on very-high resolution satellite images. Doklady Biological Sciences, 2014, vol. 459, pp. 358–362. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0012496614060118Rozhnov V. V., Salman A. L., Yachmennikova A. A., Lushchekina A. A., Salman P. A. Automated identification and counting of saigas (Saiga tatarica) by using deep convolutional neural networks in high-resolution satellite images. Biology Bulletin, 2024, vol. 51, iss. 5, pp. 1407–1421. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359024608784Rozhnov V. V., Salman A. L., Yachmennikova A. A., Lushchekina A. A., Salman P. A. Automated identification and counting of saigas (Saiga tatarica) by using deep convolutional neural networks in high-resolution satellite images. Biology Bulletin, 2024, vol. 51, iss. 5, pp. 1407–1421. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359024608784Salikhov T. K. Current status Ural saiga population in design of State Nature Reserve “Bokeyorda” West Kazakhstan region. Hydrometeorology and Ecology, 2016, no. 4, pp. 147–156 (in Russian).Salikhov T. K. Current status Ural saiga population in design of State Nature Reserve “Bokeyorda” West Kazakhstan region. Hydrometeorology and Ecology, 2016, no. 4, pp. 147–156 (in Russian).Shpigelman M. I., Davygora A. V. Trophic connections of large faired predators with saiga of the Volga-Ural population in conditions of its number growth. Steppe Science, 2024, no. 2, pp.79–95 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.24412/2712-8628-2024-2-79-95Shpigelman M. I., Davygora A. V. Trophic connections of large faired predators with saiga of the Volga-Ural population in conditions of its number growth. Steppe Science, 2024, no. 2, pp.79–95 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.24412/2712-8628-2024-2-79-95Zhirnov L. V. Vozvrashchennye k zhizni (ekologiya, okhrana i ispol'zovanie saigakov) [Brought Back to Life (Ecology, Protection and Use of Saigas)]. Moscow, Lesnaya promyshlennost', 1982. 224 p. (in Russian).Zhirnov L. V. Vozvrashchennye k zhizni (ekologiya, okhrana i ispol'zovanie saigakov) [Brought Back to Life (Ecology, Protection and Use of Saigas)]. Moscow, Lesnaya promyshlennost', 1982. 224 p. (in Russian).

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.