Monitoring

Monitoring of Argali sheep in the trans-boundary areas of Mongolia and Russia

The Argali sheep is an endangered species and has been under state protection since 1953, with a hunting ban in place. It is listed in Annex 2 of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

The territory under state protection covers slightly less than one-quarter of the Argali habitat (23.4%). This includes 7 ‘special protected areas’; 7 national parks and 6 nature reserves.

Under the WWF initiative, specific recommendations were developed from the national workshop organized in October 2000 on development of a strategic plan for Argali sheep conservation.  In accordance with the recommendations proposed by the workshop, the MNE (Ministry of Nature & Environment) conducted an Argali sheep distribution survey in 2001. The survey findings stated that there were 13-15 thousand heads of argali sheep distributed over an area of 47,815 km2 in 110 soums (districts) of 15 aimags (provinces).

The Argali sheep population has been declining in recent years by 72-76% against the level of 1975-1985. Argali sheep distribution shrunk in 7 aimags, namely: Bayan-olgii, Khovd; Gobi-Altai; Bayankhongor; Zavkhan, Uvs and Arkhangai aimags. 34 soums or 31% of all the soums with Argali population irreversibly lost Argali sheep (S.Amgalanbaatar, 2002).  As the population has sharply declined, there was a need to urgently formulate conservation measures to address the immediate threats within the ‘National Conservation Program for Argali Sheep Population’ (Government Resolution 269, 2002).

Between 1,060 and 1,140 Argali sheep are distributed over a range of territories (covering 10,950km2) in Russia, covering: Altai Tavan bogd mountain, Siilkhem mountain range; Chichachev mountain range, Mongon Taiga, Kharkhiraa, Tsagaan Gol, Gun sair, and Khokh Sair. By Fedosenko’s estimation (2000), this is equal to 24% of the entire Argali population distributed in the Altai Mountain range and has a vital conservation role in the protection of Argali sheep in the region and for Central Asia (Paltsyn 2004).    
The census of Argali sheep conducted in 2000 gave an estimate of 550-600 heads of animals distributed over an area of 811km2 in Mongolia’s Uvs province (S.Amgalanbaatar, 2001).

The hunting resource survey conducted later in 2004 with the support from the WWF Mongolia Program Office confirmed the accuracy of the figures. In 2003, in Bokhmoron and Sagil soums, Russian and Mongolian wildlife biologists conducted simultaneous surveys using exactly the same methodologies. There were observed 220-240 heads of argali sheep on an area of 453km2. There is a known impact of species migration over the fences built around the national borders (Yo.Onon, 2003). 

At the border areas, annually 5-7 rams are harvested under special licenses issued to foreign trophy hunters. It is urgently required to protect and manage in a sound way the population along with their habitats. As of April 2005, the WWF Mongolia Program Office has been implementing a monitoring study of Argali sheep migration, movement and impacts of livestock on grazing land for Argali sheep in border areas. The study’s findings will serve as the basis for the formulation of sound practices on sustainable use and management of Argali sheep.