DUSHANBE, January 3, Asia-Plus  -- the Protected Area and Biodiversity Management in the Hissor Mountains project, funded by UNDP/GEF and implemented by CARE International in Tajikistan, in cooperation with the Institute of Zoology and Parasitology held training for 32 employees with Romit Reserve and Romit Forestry Department on brown bear monitoring in December.

Brown bear, which is listed in Tajikistan’s Red Book with a status of threatened, is selected as the project indicator species.  The habitat areas for brown bear are mountain ranges of northern and central Tajikistan as well as Gorno Badakhshan (1,500-4,500 meters above the sea level).  Brown bear is an indicator of mountain-level ecosystem of Tajikistan and Romit Reserve provides key habitat for brown bear.   

Ms. Saodat Dadajonova, the project communications facilitator, said that the training aimed at providing information and techniques on long-term monitoring of brown bear population inside Romit Reserve and the surrounding areas.

The raining participants discussed the following subjects on protected areas and brown bear monitoring activities: types of protected areas; major rules of species monitoring; how to determine when brown bears wake up and hibernate; how feeding habits and ecology of brown bears can be monitored; methodology of quantitative monitoring of brown bears; description and identification of brown bear habitats; and assessment of basic threats to the brown bear population.