January 11, 1917
On the shore Baikal The first state nature reserve in Russia was created to preserve the sable. It is the progenitor of all nature reserves in the country.
At the beginning of the 20th century, sable fur was considered one of the brands of the Russian Empire and was exported abroad in huge quantities.
The most valuable species was considered Barguzin sable — because of its dark color, silkiness, and density. It inhabited the northeastern shore of Lake Baikal, in the foothills of the Barguzin Range. It was primarily hunted by the indigenous Tungus people. They also organized auctions where any hunter could lease the river plots where the sable lived.
Part of the proceeds went towards local government work and free goods for the population. The rest went into a special account at the State Bank, which residents used for unexpected expenses.
The rapid decline in sable numbers became clear as early as 1910. Fur traders were the first to sound the alarm. They demanded the government stop the extermination of the animal and even impose a two-year hunting ban.
In 1914, a scientific expedition arrived at Lake Baikal. They explored the foothills of the Barguzin Range and came to a sad conclusion: no more than 30 sables remained in the 400-hectare area.
Thus, the decision was made to create the first one in the country Barguzinsky Nature Reserve, whose lands would be inviolable. The decree on this, issued in January 1917, became one of the last "peace" documents of the tsarist government.
The hunting ban hit the indigenous people hard: the 27 rubles in their State Bank accounts began to rapidly disappear. By 1926, they owed the state over 10 rubles.
However, the sable population began to grow: by the end of the 20th century, there were more than 1200 individuals.
The Barguzinsky Nature Reserve is considered a model of a nature reserve: humans have had virtually no impact on this land for over 100 years. Today, it is one of the most beautiful places in Russia, accessible only by lake and with a special permit.
