Biota and Environment of Natural Areas

Kudaktin A.N., Romashin A.V.

Raccon in the Russian Black Sea Coast

Year: 2019, Number: 2, Pages: 88-103

The current state of the raccoon-poloskun populations, its role and place in the Black Sea ecosystems, including the territory of the Sochi National Park, has been studied. For last 50 years resettlement of the ordinary raccoon introduced to the Caucasus came to the end with his fixing in fauna of the Black Sea coast. The invader borrowed the coast of the Black Sea from Anapa to Sukhumi. History resettlement of a raccon is given in the Black Sea coast of the Russian Federation which was followed by reduction of populations of local protected species of amphibians, reptiles and even mammals (Caucasian (european) mink). Features of biology and ecology of a raccoon on Western Caucasus (including Specially Protected Territores) characterizing its high plasticity and caused rooting of the species in local ecosystems are considered. Rich American experience on studying of biology and control of populations of this species is considered. The raccoon'se value in maintenance of the natural center of dangerous infections in the light of new foreign researches of this mesopredator is ambiguous. The collected and analysed data on ecology and a biotsenotical role of a raccoon in the conditions of the Russian Black Sea Coast give the grounds to consider it a harmful and undesirable component of local ecosystems. The receptions allowing to exempt the territory from this aggressive invayder are given.

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