Іnnovative approaches to the restoration of game animals populations in forest ecosystems: overview

In the context of global climate dynamics and intensification of anthropogenic pressure on the environment, significant changes in the animal world are inevitable. Large-scale chemicalisation of maintenance processes in forestry and agriculture, the practice of streamside lands, reduction of meadows negatively affects the reproduction and development processes of most game animals. Characteristic for different regions of Ukraine today are the tendencies of significant narrowing of their natural biotopes. The purpose of the study is to analyze modern directions of restoration of populations of hunting animals and to increase their productivity in forest ecosystems. The methodology is composed by analytical-synthetic methods, systematization and abstraction, comparison, generalization, which made it possible to identify cause-effect relationships, determining factors and preconditions. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study was formed from relevant primary sources from publications that are indexed in leading databases (Scopus, Web of Science). The criteria for inclusion and exclusion of publications were a spatial-time indicator and the level of information reliability. The study reveals that the hunting areas of Ukraine are characterized by low productivity in comparison with those of developed European countries. The official statistical data analysis is convincingly indicating the low efficiency of hunting management in different regions. It was determined that despite the regulated small volumes of the main game animals, the number of their populations does not increase, and some species sometimes even decrease. The main innovative approaches to the restoration of populations of game animals in forest ecosystems are analyzed, including the maximum reduction of animal losses by carrying out effective protective, biotechnical and veterinary measures; formation of highly productive populations by maintaining the optimal number of medieval groups; selection of low-productive, less viable and emigration-prone individuals of younger age groups; elimination of old animals; formation of highly productive populations by keeping an optimal number of middle-aged groups; selective shooting among other age groups. The role in this process of rational organization of forest hunting management and key tasks of prospective development of forest hunting management are defined. Key words: population recovery, optimal abundance, management strategy, extraction rates, hunting grounds, anthropogenic load, selective shooting, forest ecosystems.