The Proposal for Monitoring of Steppe Polecat (Mustela Eversmanii)

The article presents a proposal for the monitoring of a steppe polecat – a small predatory mammal of the Mustelidae. The recent expansion of the steppe polecat that occurred in central Europe in the 20th century, its small population in Poland and few inhabited sites, result in a low level of knowledge about this species. The population of this species is not constantly monitored, so it is impossible to determine exactly how many individuals live in Poland. In this work, the first attempt was made to define the methodology needed to start and conduct monitoring that may help manage the population in the future. The monitoring method of the steppe polecat presented in this article consists of the assessment of both the species’ habitat and its population. Observations carried out during the monitoring process may additionally facilitate the acquisition of knowledge on the biology, behaviour and the impact of the steppe polecat on the others species and environment.