GEOINFORMATION SYSTEMS USE FOR THE AMUR TIGER LOCAL POPULATION STUDY BY PHOTO MONITORING IN THE BASTAK NATURE RESERVE AND ADJACENT AREAS

Photo monitoring with the help of camera traps has proven itself as one of the key methods in the study of the Amur tiger, which allows obtaining up-to-date information on the population condition, its number, and its sex and age structure. In the Bastak Nature Reserve, 50 camera traps are installed and operate year-round. They form trapping stations of paired cameras recording a tiger on both sides and correctly identifying it. Based on the obtained photo and video materials for 2022, the authors have analyzed the Amur tiger visits to trapping stations in the cluster «Central» of the reserve Bastak. With the interpolation module, the data analysis was carried out in the QGIS program, which allowed to determine a place most visited by Amur tigers. The site is located in the upper reaches of the Ikura River (Rocky Hill ridge), where adults are most often recorded. A male Bastak (20 meetings), females Cinderella (10 meetings) and Tala (8 meetings) were identified and reflected on the GIS layer. The male named Bastak is regularly noted in the upper reaches of the river with the same name. According to the study results, there is a need in increase of the trapping stations number. It is created the stations location model to fully embrace the Amur tiger habitat by photo monitoring in the cluster “Central” and its protection zone. The data obtained makes the basis for a further study of the predator’s food supply, for getting up-to-date information about the habitat areas and peculiarities of the Amur tiger daily and seasonal activity in the Bastak Reserve and adjacent territories.