Mishin A.S., Trenkov I.P. 2016. Dry beaver ponds as habitats attracting large mammals // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.15. No.1: 75–77 [in English].
Aleksandr S. Mishin [corresponding author, mishin.vrn@gmail.com], Voronezhsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve, Voronezh 394080, Russia; Ivan P. Trenkov [trenkoff@rambler.ru], Kuznetskiy Alatau State Nature Reserve, Shakhterov str. 33, Mezhdurechensk, Kemerovo region 652870, Russia.
ABSTRACT. In this study we tried to research attractiveness of dry beaver ponds for large mammals. We used data of the frequency of visits of different species of mammals from beaver ponds and from dry marsh that was not inhabited by beavers but had similar conditions like a dry beaver pond. Camera traps (192 trap-nights) took pictures of 674 individuals of large mammals of eight species. It found the predominance of visits to the dry beaver ponds by the predatory mammals. Ungulates, except wild boar, visited the beaver ponds more often than the control marsh.
KEY WORDS: beaver pond, habitat, large mammals.