RANGES OF MARTES SPECIES (CARNIVORA, MUSTELIDAE) IN THE MIDDLE URALS IN THE LATE PLEISTOCENE AND HOLOCENE

The species identification of Martes mandibles from sites of the Middle Urals of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene ages was carried out using the discriminant analysis. The sable was found to inhabit the Middle Urals during the Late Pleistocene. Until the end of the eighteenth century, its range covered all this territory, but from the beginning of the nineteenth century, it started reducing towards the north and northeast. During 150 years, the southwestern boundary of the sable range has shifted by 3 degrees and by the middle of the twentieth century, it has taken the current situation. The pine marten has appeared in the Middle Urals in the Holocene not later than 8000 years ago, and it inhabits this territory up to the present.