The role of the biosphere reserve «Askania-Nova» in preserving the rare fauna of national and international importance

The ecosystems of the modern biosphere reserve «Askania-Nova» have been signifi cantly transformed in the course of almost 120 years of its existence and have in their natural-anthropogenic line all the variants of na- ture management inherent in the Dnieper-Molochnianske interfl uve. The largest protected steppe ecosystem of Europe and the oldest one on the planet has become a steppe oasis among the agrolandscape. Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the species diversity of rare fauna in the territory of the biosphere reserve, protected by the Red Book of Endangered Species of Ukraine, the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and according to international conventions for biodiversity preservation. Methods. The studies were conducted via the analysis of literature and archive data, electronic databases of the authors, visual observa- tions over animals within the boundaries of the biosphere reserve and insects from light traps, application of ultrasound Pettersson D 240x and Pettersson D 500x detectors with further processing using BatSound and Excel 2016 software. Results. 130 species of animals listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, 324 protected ones according to the Bern (1979) and Bonn (1979) conventions, as well as 66 species included in the list of the International Union for Nature Conservation were found in the biosphere reserve «Askania-Nova». A gradual decrease of the special steppe rare fauna with a simultaneous increase in ecological niches for rare animals of other climatic zones is traced. The character of the stay of the protected species changes and the quantita- tive indices of steppe taxa are reduced with the simultaneous increase in wetland and polyecotopic ones. Conclusions. The relevance of the correction of the existing edition of the Red Book of Ukraine has been proven, which concerns additional listing of 87 animal species as well as their current status for the territory of the biosphere reserve.