Endangered Mammals Protected in Ukraine and Listed in the Red Book
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The mammals protected in Ukraine and listed in the Red Data Book include the Russian desman, the stoat (ermine), the European mink, the wildcat, and the steppe marmot (bobak), among others. Ukraine's animal world is rich and varied, but the survival of wild animals depends on both natural factors and human activity. Wild animals have long been hunted not only for meat that is high in vitamins and trace elements (more on this: Hare meat dishes), but also for the incomparable beauty and quality of the fur of mammals.
As a result, the numbers of many species of animals and birds are falling catastrophically, and the count of rare species entered in the Red Data Book of Ukraine is rising rapidly. The sections below describe the most notable protected mammals, where each lives, what it looks like, and how it breeds.
Where does the Russian desman live and why is it protected?
The Russian desman (выхухоль) survives only in very small numbers in the floodplain of the Siverskyi Donets. More recently it has been recorded in the Sumy region, where its population numbers about 300 individuals. The desman leads an aquatic life, inhabiting mainly still water bodies — ponds, floodplain lakes, and oxbows along river floodplains. It belongs to the order of insectivores, family Talpidae (the desmans).
What does the Russian desman look like?
The Russian desman is small, only a little larger than a common rat. Its body is 19–21 cm long, the tail 17–20 cm, and it weighs up to 400 g. In appearance it slightly resembles a shrew. The fur on the back is greyish-brown, while the underside is greyish-white with a silvery sheen and is very dense. The animal's head ends in a long, mobile proboscis that serves as an organ of touch.
The hind legs of the Russian desman are more developed than the front ones and are equipped with swimming webs. The tail is flattened from the sides and covered with scales and sparse hairs. The desman builds burrows of different types — short, temporary ones it visits while feeding, and permanent ones that are long, with branching passages and several chambers, the entrance always set below the water surface.
The Russian desman breeds almost all year round, with 3–5 young in a litter. It is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.
Why is the stoat valued by farmers?
The stoat, or ermine (горностай), is distributed across all natural zones of Ukraine except Crimea. It prefers to live in small woods with a humid microclimate, close to water, and in open country. It belongs to the order of carnivores, family Mustelidae (the weasels).
What does the stoat look like?
The stoat is a small animal with a very slender, elegant body and a comparatively long tail. Its body is 17–35 cm long, the tail 7–10 cm. The head is relatively small, the ears are small and rounded, and the muzzle is short.
The fur of the upper body is reddish-brown in summer, while the underside is white with a slightly yellowish tinge. In winter the entire coat turns completely white, but the tip of the tail stays permanently black. The stoat makes its home in burrows, hollows in the ground, piles of stones, woodpiles, and similar places. It is nocturnal and extremely agile.
The stoat breeds in March and April, and the female produces 5–8 young. Though small, the stoat is a very bloodthirsty predator that destroys large numbers of harmful mouse-like rodents. It is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.
How does the weasel differ from the stoat?
The weasel (ласка) belongs to the same order and family as the stoat. It inhabits a great variety of places and conditions but, unlike the stoat, prefers more open ground in fields and gardens.
What does the weasel look like?
The weasel is the smallest of Ukraine's predators. Its body reaches up to 25 cm long, with a tail of 6–8 cm. The body is elongated and very flexible, the head small, the ears short and rounded. The legs are short, and the paws bear very sharp, slender claws.
The weasel's fur is chestnut-brown in summer and becomes pure white in winter (in southern parts of its range the coat colour does not change in winter). It often settles near people — in sheds, cattle yards, and stacks of straw.
The weasel destroys mouse-like rodents in large quantities, sometimes killing more than it can eat. A litter usually numbers 5–7 young. Hunting the weasel is completely prohibited everywhere.
How rare is the European mink in Ukraine?
The European mink (норка європейська) is found in Ukraine in only small numbers. It inhabits the banks of small rivers with overgrown shores, as well as forest marshes and lakes. The mink digs its burrows right at the water's edge. It is nocturnal, cautious, and timid, and it swims and dives well. The European mink is also a member of the weasel family.
What does the European mink look like?
The European mink is somewhat larger than the weasel and the stoat. Its body is 30–40 cm long, the tail 15–20 cm. The body is elongated and flexible, the muzzle narrow, and the ears small, rounded, and almost invisible. The legs are short, with swimming webs between the toes.
The mink's fur is short with a very dense underfur, coloured more or less uniformly dark brown or reddish-brown; on the underside it is lighter, greyish-brown. The chin is white, and there is a small light patch on the throat. In April and May the female produces 4–7 young. Because of its low numbers everywhere, the European mink is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.
Is the badger still endangered?
The badger (барсук) is found throughout Ukraine and belongs to the weasel family. At the end of the last century, intensive hunting drove badger numbers down sharply and hunting was banned entirely. Today the badger has been struck from the list of endangered animals, because its population has recovered to a safe level.
What does the badger look like?
The badger is a medium-sized animal with a squat, somewhat clumsy body. The head is elongated, the legs short and massive, and the toes carry long, sharp claws. The body reaches up to 90 cm long, with a tail of 15–20 cm. The fur is long and coarse.
The badger's back and sides are grey or greyish-brown, the head white, with lengthwise black stripes running along the sides of the head; a brown stripe runs along the spine, and the underside is dark brown or black. A forest dweller, the badger lives in burrows with numerous entrances and a branching network of underground passages.
The badger is very tidy, periodically cleaning and renewing its home. It is nocturnal and extremely secretive, and it hibernates over winter. In March and April the female produces 2–5 young.
Where can the wildcat be found?
The wildcat (кіт дикий) is found only in the forests of the Carpathians, where it prefers remote places rarely visited by people. It lives in tree hollows and old burrows. It belongs to the order of carnivores, family Felidae (the cats).
What does the wildcat look like?
The wildcat is a medium-sized animal. It resembles a grey domestic cat but differs in its somewhat larger size, sturdy build, and short, blunt, bushy tail. The length of body and tail together reaches up to 1 m, and it weighs up to 6 kg.
The wildcat's fur is fluffy and dense, coloured reddish-grey, with a lighter underside. Two black stripes run along the back. The head is round and massive, with black stripes running from the forehead to the back of the head. The tail has transverse ring-shaped stripes, and its tip is also black.
The wildcat is mainly nocturnal. Kittens appear in April and May, with 3–6 in a litter. It is a rare animal threatened with extinction, hunting is prohibited, and it is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.
Why does the steppe marmot recover so slowly?
The steppe marmot, or bobak (байбак), has survived in the protected Streltsy Steppe (Luhansk region) and in some parts of the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. It is a typical inhabitant of virgin steppes. The bobak is a representative of the order of rodents, family Sciuridae (the squirrels).
What does the steppe marmot look like?
The bobak is a large rodent with a rather thick, massive body. Its body is 50–60 cm long and it weighs up to 6 kg. The head is small, the ears very small and underdeveloped. The legs are short, with large, strong claws on the toes. The fur is short and dense.
The upper side of the bobak's body is dark yellow, while the underside is somewhat darker. The tail is short and dark at the tip. The bobak digs deep burrows (to a depth of 3–4 m) with very long passages, up to 10–15 m. The nesting chamber is well lined with hay and dry grass.
Besides its permanent burrows, the bobak digs shallow temporary ones near the main dwelling, where it can take cover in case of danger. It lives in colonies. In May the female produces 4–5 young.
Hunting the bobak is prohibited in spring. Its numbers grow very slowly despite its high fertility. One of the most important tasks facing the hunters of Ukraine, and all who love their native land, is to give every possible help in carrying out measures aimed at protecting and increasing the wildlife of our country.
