Feeding potential of vascular plants for snow sheep (Оvis nivicola Eschscholtz) in the northern spurs of the Chuvansky Ridge (Chukotka Autonomous Area)

In order to assess the forage resources for the snow sheep, a section of the upper reaches of the Ozernoye Gorlo River (southern Chukotka, the Anadyr River basin, the northern spurs of the Chuvansky Ridge) were surveyed in August 2021. The northern border of the population of the Yakutian snow sheep subspecies Ovis nivicola lydekkeri Kowarzik (1913) that lives in the Chuvansky Ridge system passes through this territory. As a result of the increased anthropogenic pressure, the snow sheep numbers in Chukotka decreased significantly at the turn of the 70s of the last century, which determined the inclusion of the sheep in the regional Red Book (issued in 2008 and 2022). The surveyed area was estimated to have low sheep numbers of about 7 heads/100 km². This area has a vegetation that is typical for the mountain systems of Northeast Asia. The height of mountain peaks varies from (900) 1200 to 1300 (1400) m above sea level. Forest communities in the river valley are extremely reduced. Cedar elfin patches widespread on the mountain slopes turn into shrub and lichen tundra higher up. The flora of the surveyed area has been found to include 127 species of vascular plants from 77 genera and 38 families. According to the literature sources and our observations, 116 species (66 genera, 30 families) belong to forage plants for the snow sheep, including 74 species known as the feed of these animals in Chukotka. According to the visual assessment of the availability and phytomass reserves of the identified forage plants, 24 main species and 24 secondary ones may have significant forage value for the snow sheep. Taking into account the moss and lichen resources in this area, it can be concluded that the feeding base of the snow sheep here is not a limiting factor for the existing and much larger numbers of these animals.

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