Mazaalai bears fitted with GPS collars Bears are more stout than in previous years From April 20 to May 8, 2013, a “Gobi bear” research team comprising specialists and researchers from the Biology institute of a Mongolian Academy of Science, administration of a part A of a Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area where Mazaalai bears dwell. The team installed GPS collars on the Mazaalai bears, collected samples of Mazaalai hair, mounted automatic cameras to take Mazaalai photos and carried out other ecological observations. During the research, a male Mazaalai, around age eight, was caught from Mukhar Zadgai stream in Tsagaan Bogd Mountain and team successfully caught attached a GPS collar. That Mazaalai was physically bigger and heavier than one that was previously caught, for attaching a collar. For instance: its’ morphological length was 183 cm, body length 97.5 cm and weight 160 kg. In other words, it was a stout male Mazaalai, 22 kg heavier than the previous one which was considered the biggest male ever. During the research activity, a total of 162 samples, Mazaalai bearaof Mazaalai hair was collected from 13 point of Tsagaan Bogd, Shar Khuls and Atas Inges for genetic laboratory test. In March-April, specialists and ranges of the strictly protected areas marked the places where they saw four Mazaalai bears and found fresh Mazaalai’s foot prints in nine places. From March 10 -17 automatic cameras that are sensitive to movement were installed near points were the bears find water and food. As of this time, photos of six Mazaalai bears have been taken. This year Mazaalai bears are found to be stout. The specialists and researchers consider that stoutness of bears connects with last summer and fall’s good yield of bajuuna plant on Tsagaan Bogd Mountain and abundant fodder provided for Mazaalai bears by the administration of the strictly protected area from last autumn to March this year. The Mongol Messenger
Posted on: Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:02:49 +0000
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