The article deals with the initial period in the history of Russian-Oirat relations in South-Western Siberia, which still remains poorly explored in the historiography due to the lack of sources. The author made a conclusion, that the fact of the Oirats’ presence on the Siberian border of Muscovy was caused by taishas’ desire to preserve their possessions under condition of the ongoing war against Altyn-Khan and Kazakhs. This fact left its imprint on the peaceful Russian-Oirat relations which at the initial stage in 1607-1608 developed through two stations of Muscovy in Siberia -Tara and Tomsk. Oirat taishas participated in the negotiation process not only for the establishment of new politic and economic relations with the Moscow throne, but also to achieve their military and strategic objectives. Such policies led to the integration process of Oirats into Muscovy’s sphere of political influence.

To study and understand the rich and eventful history of the Oirats in the 17th-18th centuries, it is especially iTo study and understand the rich and eventful history of the Oirats in the 17th-18th centuries, it is especially important to look into the sources written by the Oirats themselves, as they offer an “insider’s view” of the major events in the Oirat and Kalmyk history. Among them, a special mention must be made of the historico-literary works discovered in Mongolia and China in the 20th century. Written in “clear script”, they possess significant academic and cognitive value. The majority of them were produced by the representatives of nobility and Buddhist clergy. Up to a certain degree, they managed to convey the mood and way of thinking characteristic of the common people. The works by those authors reflect the people’s historical mentality - more archaic and simplified, and their estimation of certain events and personas. Here, we are dealing with the transformation of real historic facts in oral tradition and with their written fixation. This paper is dedicated to the most significant works in that category: 1. “The Story of Kho Orluk”; 2. The anonymous “History of the Dörben Oirat”; 3. The genealogy of Torghut khans and princes known under the short title “Torgudyn Garulga” (“The Origin of Torghuts”).

The article examines the social relations in Kalmyk society in the first half of the XIX^th century. Legally dependent relations had not been recorded in any document till the Russian legislation fixed them between the commoners and the privileged nomadic elite, having strengthened caste hierarchy in Kalmyk society. Taisha, who was officially called Khan governed the people. Noyons-landlords belonged to the highest class in the traditional social structure of Kalmyk nomads and their rights were hereditary. They were the heads of uluses but aimags were under zayangs. The descendants of Kalmyk commoners also belonged to tsagan yasn („white bone‟). They had received from the Dalai Lama or khans freedom from taxes and land allotments - the aimags. The composition of the upper class also included the Kalmyk clergy, whose positions were not hereditary. The most part of the Kalmyk society were the commoners, or khar yasn („black bone‟), who since the time of the Mongol Empire had to provide a certain number of the armed men and provisions. The commoners were divided into several groups: aimag, ketcheners, shabiners, tarkhans / darkhans, andyns. In the course of time the privileged position of the nomadic elite disappeared and both commoners and representatives of the highest class became full-fledged citizens of the Russian Empire.

The article deals with the policy of the Russian state on the governance of Kalmyks in the first half of the XIXth century. After the departure of the most part of the Kalmyk people to the territory of Qing China, the status of its statehood was undergoing great changes. The system of the governance of Kalmyk people was clearly worked out and put into operation during the reforms of the governors of the Russian Empire, Catherine II, Paul I and Alexander I. The administrative guardianship was established over the Kalmyk people with a number of legislative acts for long time, till 1917.

The article deals with the peculiarities of Soviet government establishment in Zauralye. Zauralye is the region of Russia, covering the territory of Tobolsk province in early XX century. The authors analyzed the political sentiments of the population lived in the Tobolsk province districts in autumn 1917 - spring 1918 period. The situation was such that the news of the power seizure by the Bolsheviks of St. Petersburg in October 1917 caused a negative attitude of most political parties in Western Siberia and Zauralye. However the local Bolsheviks began to separate from the social-democratic organizations and form independent associations. This situation happened in Tyumen, Ishim and Kurgan. Using populist slogans, the Bolsheviks attracted a considerable part of workers and soldiers to their side, but not all the people of the region. Some conclusions on the conditions and methods of power seizure by the Bolsheviks are made on the base of archival sources and periodicals investigation. Few working classes and the wealthy peasantry were not ready to support the leftist position. Soviet government establishment in Zauralye became possible with the help of the Red Guard detachments from the neighboring regions of Sibiria and Ural.

The article is devoted to the integrated study of the history of formation and transformation of the system of law-enforcement and judicial authorities of Kalmykia in 1917-1925. During the revolution and Civil War they underwent a radical reformation process and were developing under very difficult conditions caused by combat operations, natural and geographic as well as socio-economic factors. The law enforcement and judicial authorities of Kalmykia began to function effectively and in full measure only after the judicial reform of 1922.

The article continues to study the complicated issue of forced migrations in the period of war of 1941-1945. Special attention is paid to the return of spetspereselenetsy (pl.), (special settler, a person deported by the Soviet government and obliged to live in a given locality under supervision of the Ministry of Internal affairs (NKVD, later MVD), and the «planned settlers» to their former places of residence until the 1940s. The article is based on the intersection of history, sociology, and psychology. The focus of the research has been on the deportees, who were transported against their own will according to the so called «planned resettlement» leaving their homes and settling in the territory of residence of the repressed peoples by entire collective farms. As the research showed the fate of both categories of people remained hard because of the ongoing war, economic difficulties, labour shortage for the restoration of the ruined economic sector, broken pre-war ties between the regions of the country. The restoration of historical justice played a positive role and gave some hope to people for a new life. Afterwards under difficult circumstances both former special settlers, and «planned settlers», had to build their homes again, to restore economy, to revive the culture. At the same time the new system of ethnic relations was being formed.

The article examines in detail the state of the historiography, revealing the participation of the peoples of Kabardino-Balkaria in the Great Patriotic War in Soviet and post-Soviet periods. Special attention is given to the vexed issues that require additional study: accounting and mobilization activities, the reasons for the restrictive policy of the state regarding call-up, desertion and сollaborationism in the region, the number of conscripts into the Red Army, casualties, the fates of prisoners of war, the feats of the natives of Kabardino-Balkaria during the war.

The article considers the results of the excavations of barrow groups in Vostochnyi Manych-1967. The excavations were carried out by Prof. U.E. Erdniev and Prof. I.V. Sinitsin in 1967 in the construction zone of Chograiskoe reservoir. Earlier the findings of the excavations of the burial grounds Lola I and II, Arkhara and Vostochnyi Manych (1965, 1966) have been studied and the results of the research have been published. 30 barrows and 255 burials were studied in 1967. The barrows are located on the southern (right) bank of the river which is subject to flooding. The proportion of burials of the Bronze Age is predominant in the barrow group and make 83.5 % (213 out of 255 burials). The archeological findings from the 1967 excavations are stored in the National Museum of the Republic of Kalmykia named after N. N. Palmov. The article provides a list of the findings stored in the Museum. The results of the excavations were highlighted in the series of the articles "Archaeological sites of the Southern Yergeni" (1982). The prolonged interval had a negative impact on the evaluation of the work carried out. The solution to this problem is to collect all the materials together, to create a common database of all the projects undertaken in Kalmykia which will allow not only to preserve the heritage, but also to reconsider the results of the work undertaken.

The article is devoted to the question of the existence of the levirate marriage among Kalmyks in the XIXth century. The levirate was one of the fundamental institutions that maintained the stability of society and opposed the processes of social and economic fragmentation. The institute of the levirate of Kalmyk aristocracy defended their family from the loss of material and human resources as a result of fragmentation of the inheritance among the heirs. The levirate marriage among Kalmyk-commoners was predominantly economic form of marriage: to prevent the fragmentation of the farm of a large patriarchal family. However, the reform of 1892 and the reduction of areas of Kalmyk lands caused the crisis and led Kalmyks make the transition from nomadic economy to a semi-nomadic economy. At the end of XIX - early XX centuries large patriarchal family was gradually losing its importance among Kalmyks, while an individual small monogamous family was becoming increasingly prevalent.

Based on a wide range of sources and field data collected by the author from the Altaians living in the villages of the Altai Republic and in Gorno-Altaisk town over the years 1986-2015, the article forms a true notion of the individual that was typical for their traditional culture. One of the main conclusions the author makes, concerns the existence of ethno-social context of the individual in modern society of the Altaians: much of which is still determined by the range of traditional views, beliefs and practices. Considering seok (secondary clan) as a social tool, structuring the relations of kinship, affinity, and marriage among Altaians, the author notes that seok is at the same time an element of the ideal model of culture, constituting one of the basic structures of ethnocultural identity. Though, a multi-layered identity typical for the Altaians also prevails.

The article is devoted to the problems of preservation of cultural and historical traditions in the context of globalization and the unification of values and categorical systems. An important aspect of overcoming these contradictions of social development is seen as a special understanding of the individual, not only as individuals but also as a subject of particular historical community. The system of socialization, which mainly lies in the educational structure of society forms the people who will carry out certain functions in the system of social production. Holistic personality development is not a priority. Values and spirituality of the people create the whole person, for this reason, the subject is not only the individual, but also the subject of cultural-historical community, symphonic personality. Spiritual values are fundamental to the individual person. They indicate the objectives, targets, provide an opportunity to dialectically overcome all the problems posed by reality. Man is a creature both biological and social, and thus it is born only in society. Outside of society is born only individual who is very far from being able to become a full and integral member of the human race. Gradually formed individual personality, which has a vital connection with the cultural and historical tradition, from the spiritual foundation of the people. The moral principle lies in the basis of thinking. Consciousness in the goal-setting is not only the motives, but also collective. Personality can not go against moral principles. Such an act leads to its internal conflict, which becomes intractable. Value system is formed by a person of culture.

The article is devoted to basic gender stereotypes and gender representations of martial arts by sportsmen and people engaged in sports activities in the city of Elista, Republic of Kalmykia. Specifically, they were asked whether martial arts were considered as masculine or feminine kinds of activity (or both) and to what extent. It is concluded that martial arts are seen principally as a masculine activity, but at the same time they aren’t viewed as non-recommended for women.

The traditional culture of the Kalmyks - everyday objects and works of art of Buddhism is represented in museum collections of Germany. On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the museum’s foundation, a new permanent exhibition was opened in the Ethnographic Museum at Herrngut. Entitled «Ethnography and Herrnhut Mission», it presents displays about the historical cultures of peoples with whom the Herrnhut missionaries worked. One of them is dedicated to the Kalmyk collection gathered by the efforts of the Germans from Sarepta, a town founded by Herrnhut missionaries on the lower Volga of Russia. The cultural heritage of the Kalmyk nomads is represented in museums and archives of Germany. Of special importance is the Herrnhuters’ research in the field of language and traditional life and culture of the Kalmyk Buddhism, representing the heritage of the Mongolian peoples as well as the experience of scientific cataloging of museum collections in the works of foreign researchers, allowing in more detail to establish patterns of ethnocultural genesis which are not fully represented in the museum collections of Kalmykia due to historical circumstances.

This article considers the issues of forming a language policy on the example of the Kalmyk language. The author studied the issue of legislative regulation of language policy as a factor in the preservation of linguistic consciousness of the people, revealed objective and subjective factors of the current language situation, carried out the analysis of linguistic and sociological survey among the students of secondary schools of the republic.

The article is devoted to the issue of the relationship of the Mongolian and Turkic languages, which arouses interest of comparativists dealing with the Altaic hypothesis. This issue has long been disputed and still remains unresolved. There are two mutually exclusive points of view concerning the hypothesis. Supporters of Altaic, sometimes called «Altaicists», view the similarities within the Altaic language family as arising from a proto-Altaic language spoken several thousand years ago. Opponents maintain that the similarities are due to areal interaction between the language groups concerned. Being not adjacent to any of the two points of view, the authors aim to reveal the true nature of the distinguished common Turkic-Mongolian lexemes and verify the validity of both points of view through the analysis of the new lexicographic materials and recent comparative-historical researches in the field of Turkic and Mongolian languages including the comparison of specific lexical materials. The authors focus their attention mainly on a specific thematic group and take into account only four main Mongolian languages - old Mongolian, Khalkha Mongolian, Buryat and Kalmyk in order to see how deeply these Turkic terms entered into the Mongolian languages, and how widely they are represented there.

The article is devoted to the relationship between the two universities, in the field of joint (modern) scientific research. The work begins with historical and theoretical study of aspects of the current state of social development, which highlighted two main trends: on the one hand, directions of development of higher education today has a global connotation cooperation, exchange of ideas and scientists; on the other hand, the process of individualization of life in general, and individualization of education in particular. It is stressed that education was a critical stimulant to the development of society and the most important sphere of human activity, both on local level and international scale. And in this respect, the network model is optimal. At the present stage, a comparative study of the Turkic-Mongolian relations, roots in Altaic theory, is experiencing a rebirth. The reason for this and the change of scientific paradigms, and the participation in research of a new generation of scientists, and the creation a common educational space in the framework of the Eurasian community.

The article describes the grammar of orders of inflectional affixes of finite verb forms in the indirect moods of the Kalmyk language. The relevance of the research is determined by the need of classification and systematic descriptive analysis of the combinatorial properties of morphemic units (in this case - stems and affixes, affixes and affixes) for the synthesis of lexical units (in the broadest sense of the word-forms) of the Kalmyk language. The analysis of the material of the National Corpus of the Kalmyk language revealed more than 60 models of inflectional affixes, joining the verbal stem for the formation of forms of indirect moods in the Kalmyk language. The affixes of indirect moods can be formed from primary and secondary verb stem, while in the investigated material we have not found any examples representing the formation of the optative from the secondary stem of the verb. Likewise the Corpus has not revealed any of the examples with affixes of indirect moods where there would be a combination of two voice affixes. The forms with the affixes of voice, of aspect or verbal plurality are rarely found: mainly there are examples containing only one of the affixes. The apprehensive can attach affixes of predicate, however, there are some examples with the forms of the jussive 2 and precative, which are adjoined by the personally-predicative particle. As for the negative particles, the finite forms of indirect moods practically do not attach to them (mostly the semantics of negation is expressed by separate negative words), but analyzing the material we can say that only the form of apprehensive attaches to itself the contracted particle -go. Particles are also adjacent to the forms of indirect moods: requesting, confirmative, intensifying and emphasizing - which provide the semantics of the indirect moods with different connotations.

The article is devoted to the description of quantitative data of grammatical characteristics of word forms of the Kalmyk language based on the tales recorded by G. J. Ramstedt during his expedition to the Kalmyk steppe. On the basis of the program TextAnalyzer, developed in the framework of the research work at the Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS, the authors determined the frequency of occurrences of parts of speech, inflected forms of nouns, indicative mood, voice forms of verbs as well as the distribution of converbs and negation in magical texts. Preliminary results of the distribution of frequency characteristics of grammemes in the Kalmyk language are summarized in the table which shows the frequency of the word forms. The quantitative analysis suggests a particular ratio of different grammemes and specifics of usage of separate word forms in the Kalmyk language. In general, quantitative data indicate conditionality of usage of different grammemes depending on many factors: from historical to situational.

The article is devoted to the creation of frequency dictionaries on the material of the Kalmyk language. With the help of computer technology, the authors created a frequency list in which they explicated the texts of Kalmyk tales, recorded by Finnish scholar G. J. Ramstedt during his travels in the steppes of the Lower Volga Region. Using the methods of quantitative analysis, frequent and non-frequent elements of the Kalmyk language, collected by several statistical indexes (absolute frequency of word usage, common frequency, the coefficients D and R) were identified in the text. Quantitative indexes can be used to create a structural-probabilistic model of language. The relevance of such model is undeniable. Frequency lists allow you to define the boundaries of the lexical system of fairy tales, which has its own core and peripheral fields, and to use for applied purposes: since teaching begins with the most frequent units and explaining their meaning and how to use them in speech, it will create a theoretical base for the distribution of tokens according to the levels of language learning.

Zaya Pandita Namkhai Jamtsu’s translated works are distin guished by high degree of accuracy in the translation of grammar peculiarities of the written Tibetan language into the Oirat language. The article considers the peculiarities of functioning of the two semantically close adjectival interrogative pronouns ali and aliba as Tibetan equivalents of the interrogative pronouns gang and its forms: gang rnams и gang yang in the Oirat translation of the Tibetan sutra „King of Aspiration Prayers‟. The article observes the principle of the translator’s selecting the Oirat equivalents to every Tibetan words and reveals the difference between the pronouns ali and aliba. The first of them has an interrogative function, while the second expresses generalization, imprecision and uncertainty.

The article considers the antithesis functions of the plot, composition and style in the context of the Кarachay-Бalkar Nart Epos. The antithesis lies in the basis of the plot of most of Nart songs and legends and is realised through the contradiction of “the good” and “the bad”, “the darkness” and “the light”. It also highlights the comparison between the imagery of Nart heroes and their enemies - Emegens-monsters. In the epos the heroes stand forth as bogatyrs, possessing great physical strength, but alongside the enormous emegens they are insignificantly small. The emegens have enormous cyclopean might, but they are terribly stupid and unreasoning. The strength of the emegens is opposed to the intelligence and resourcefulness of the Nart heroes.

The communicative situation of an oral existence (statements playback) olonkho in the Yakut folklore has not yet been the independence object of study, researchers have fixed their attention on it, and left almost no full descriptions of these situations. Therefore, today, when the public decides the problems revival of the narration of folk tales of the Olonkho traditions, the problem is the source. In the article authors on the example of the analysis of one work put forward idea that as a reliable source for reconstruction of a context of narration of the epic in the XIX-XX centuries. It may be recognized as individual works of Yakut writers-realist of the pre-revolutionary and Soviet periods. The main method of analysis defined in the cultural-historical approach, which allows you to explore the product in its relationship with the historical tradition and social environment. When studying the topic «olonkho and olonkho-teller» further use contextual and functional analysis techniques. The authors found that in the novel, consisting of a chain of 42 event-scenes the main character›s life, the theme of «olonkho and olonkho-teller» disclosed in eight episodes, runs through the entire work. The study of the sources shows that the prototype olonkho-teller characters are historical figures Tatta and Vilyuysky regions, who lived in the late XIX - early XX centuries. Scenes analysis of oral performance olonkho the parameters: the characters, time, place, situation performance allowed to disclose that the product is not fixed calendar olonkho confinement performance. It is executed when the circumstances in any season: spring, summer, autumn and winter. The place of performance of the epic works in all scenes depending on the season is winter or summer type of dwelling. Olonkho is performed in the narrow circle of family or neighbors in the presence of the traveler. Traveler is a story-teller or the listener. In the story discovered the functioning of the title of olonkho in oral communication. On the basis of its analysis, the authors argue that the title of the text in this case serves as a substitute for the text and suggests that the customer olonkho and its performers have common cultural presuppositions, are carriers of one epic environment that the customer knows the repertoire of epic story-tellers. In the context of oral communication using the title of the text varies. It is as the case may be complete, incomplete and brief. As a result, it should be noted that Reas Kulakovsky’s story «Agam ologo” is a historical work, which should be considered as folklore and ethnographic source.

This article is devoted to the study of the poetic part of the Manchurian literary work «Han-i araha Mukden-i fuǯurun bithe», or „Ode to Mukden, written by the Emperor‟, the author of this text is the Emperor Qianlong. There are publications devoted to the study of the work, but in Russia it is little known and publications devoted to this work in Russian are available in single copies, though the most rare and unique editions of the text are kept in Russian libraries. The story of writing „Ode‟ is connected with Emperor’s visit (1743) to the former capital of the Manchu Mukden and tombs of ancestors in Manchuria. The article gives a poetic translation of the „Ode to Mukden‟ as well as comments. Analysis of the verse leads to the assumption that the „Ode‟ is written according to the canons of traditional Manchu poetry, i.e using sound alliteration. The laudatory part, written in verses, is a kind of poetic prose summary of the main part and consists of 98 lines, inside it is divided into 7 parts with 14 lines each.

Prajnaparamita sutras are considered to be the fundamental texts of Mahayana Buddhism, the most honored of them are the nine makhavajpurjya sutras (long in content). At the final stage of Prajnaparamita texts formation there appear Sutras, representing the summary of the doctrine of Prajnaparamita. These sutras were translated into Tibetan and known as the seventeen «maternal» and «filial» scriptures. Prajnaparamita translations of sutras from Tibetan into the Oirat language were made by Zaya Pandita in the middle of the XVIIth century. The most important in its functional significance and prevalence are the three texts: «the Suvarnaprabhasa Sutra» («the Sutra of Golden light»), «the Vajracchedika Sutra» («the Diamond Sutra») and «the Hridaya Sutra» (« the Heart Sutra»).

The translation of the Tibetan text of «the Sutra of Golden light» in the Oirat language was made by Zaya Pandita. During the century since the translation of the text into the Oirat language in the middle of the XVIIth century, the sutra existed only in manuscript form. In the middle of the XVIIIth century, it was fi rst published by the xylographic method in the Dzungar khanate, and then by the initiative of the Volga Kalmyks. The appearance of printed texts did not affect the number of handwritten forms of the sutras. Today, more than thirty of its handwritten copies are stored in scientific and private collections in Mongolia, China and Russia. In the beginning of the XXIth century facsimile of the Oirat translations of the Sutra was published by Mongolian and Chinese researchers. The text of «the Sutra of Golden light» was translated into Russian and into modern Kalmyk language. The interest to the monument is raised by both scholars and ordinary believers.

The article considers the creativity of one of the brightest representatives of the Kalmyk literary emigration - Sanzhi Basanovich Balykov (1892-1943). The stories «The Crushed Tulip», «At the Hidden Wall» written in Russian are original especially in the artistic vision. Studying problems of people's lives "from within", national originality and traditional values of the national picture of the world was on the focus of the author's attention.

The article is devoted to the study of the early poetry by Khasyr Syan-Belgin. In his early poetry he criticizes the social conditions surrounding people in the pre-Soviet era, putting social issues in the forefront. In the poem «Өnchn bөk» ("Fighter orphan") artistic conception of personality reveals the strength of national character in the history of the Kalmyk people. Created by the poet the conception of personality includes the basic traits of a true national hero, a loner hero with a new outlook, acting against the social system. Carefully designed and recreated the era of artistic painting and its ideological content confirms the importance of issues raised by the author in consonance with the time of his creative development.

Asia and the East in the European part of the Russian Empire were re-opened to Alexander Pushkin during his journey to the Caucasus and Transcaucasia in 1829, to the war of front-line forces with the Ottoman Empire. The article contains a commentary of historical and literary, socio-historical and ethnographic character to the episode of poet's visiting the Kalmyk kibitka (nomad tent) taken from "Travel Notes" the poet kept during the trip.

The article examines the plot structure and analysis of the poem D. Kugultinov «Sar-Gerel». It discusses the issues of «genre innovation», for example about the parables included in the text of the poem, the questions reflected the philosophy of time, his humanistic ideals expressed by the poet through a folk story.

On the basis of field materials of the author and Internet resources the article analyses the conditions of foreign students adaptation at Kalmyk State University. The Adaptation Program implemented at the university contributes to the successful adaptation of foreign students to Russian educational system and more rapid adaptation to different culture conditions. The Adaptation Program for foreign students accepted in Kalmyk State University, consists of five important areas: organizational, documentary, informational and methodological, educational, sports. The work with foreign students at the University is organized at all structural levels: student groups, faculty, University, as well as student hostels. Due to effective organizational solutions the initial period of adaptation of foreigners to a new social environment becomes easier. One of the important conditions for more rapid integration of foreign students into Kalmyk State University is their active involvement in the sociocultural environment of the University. The adaptive nature of the ongoing activities of the various structures of Kalmyk State University, facilitates the process of entry of foreign students into a new culture. The participation of foreign students in social life of the University allows them to feel more comfortable in social and cultural space of the university. Various forms of extracurricular activities contribute to the development of skills of intercultural communication of foreign students in a new sociocultural environment. Among favorable conditions for sociocultural adaptation of foreign students at Kalmyk State University is the organization of intercultural interaction and cooperation of students in educational space of the University.

Based on the huge amounts of statistical material, the author considers demographic, industrial and socioeconomic characteristics of rural territories of the Republic of Kalmykia. Different types of these characteristics have been analyzed: without population, the small (population less than 10 people, to 100 people), medium (population from 101 to 500 people and from 501 to 1000 people), large villages with the population more than 1 000 people. The article gives the typology of the rural population depending on the standard of living. Since the early 2010s, the authorities of the Republic began to pay close attention to the development of rural areas. During this period, both state and regional programs aimed at maintaining the village, creating the basic conditions of social comfort, bases stations, performing the role of socio-cultural and commercial-consumer services were being implemented. The article describes some specific steps to revive the agricultural sector, to improve the social well-being of rural residents.

The article provides characteristics of soil and vegetation conditions of the state nature reserve «Chernye Zemli» as a modern habitat of the saiga population in Kalmykia. The author reveals the main reasons for the fall in saiga antelope populations over the last decade which are connected with a complex of factors: reduced protection, a high level of the wolf population, increased fire risk. One of the fundamental conditions is the change in the composition of grassland vegetation as the core platform for the existence of the saiga population in the «Chernye Zemli» reserve.