State and use of polar fox population in Yakutia

Number of Polar Foxes in Yakutia, as well as in other areas of Far North, subject to considerable fluctua-tion connected with lemmings number dynamics. In 30-es of the last century, Polar Fox fells in terms of money composed 80% from the total cost of prepared furs, and occupied the second place after squirrel. After the acclimatization of Water Rat and re - acclimatization of Sable, Polar Fox fells started to occupy the third place (17,7%) after Sable and Water Rat. In the period of market relations (1992-2008), extrac-tions of Polar Foxes were extremely decreased. For example, in period 2000-2007, averagely 898 Polar Fox skins were prepared, what means this index, comparing with 1980-1984 period contracted in 23.3 (898 instead of 20937). In 2007, pre-hunting number of Polar Fox was 13.5 thousands individuals and there was a prognosis for 5.5 thousands individuals in future. But just 900 skins were prepared. The first case of such low skin number is a low cost for the skin purchasing (506.4 rubles for a skin was the aver-age cost in 2007) and the second is the absence of demands for Polar Fox skins. Increasing of the cost for Polar Fox skins may positively affect to volume of skins preparing.