Guidelines for monitoring of the populations of mountain cloven-hoofed mammals.

These Guidelines cover the organization, planning, monitoring of the state of populations of mountain cloven-hoofed animals, as well as the processing and documentation of primary materials of monitoring. Guidelines are intended for specialists in the field of hunting managers, hunters, employees of forest districts and protected areas, and for the representatives of social environmental organizations. Monitoring of the populations is a systematic and regulatory process related to collection of data on populations of mountain cloven-hoofed mammal in certain mountain areas at regular intervals, in order to assess the state of populations and determining trends in populations by time periods. The main characteristics of monitoring the populations of mountain cloven-hoofed mammals shall be as follows: (a) monitoring is performed regularly in time and according to a uniform method; (b) has a scientific or management purpose; and (c) provides an opportunity to determine the relationship between changes in the status of populations and other factors. The purpose of monitoring of mountain cloven-hoofed mammals populations shall be to assess the state of populations in terms of quantitative and qualitative indicators and their changes over time in certain territories. Monitoring results allow to evaluate the effectiveness of measures for the protection of populations and the impact of the removal of species from populations, and also the determination of quotas for the removal of part of the populations for sustainable of use. Objects of monitoring shall be the following species: (a) Capra sibirica; (b) Capra falconeri; (c) Ovis ammon polii; (d) Ovis ammon severtzovii; and (e) Ovis vignei.