This article provides comparison analysis between 1950–1959’s and 2000–2009’s periods for duration and schedule dates of awakening, spreading and hibernation phases for Spermophilus pygmaeus populations located in the Caspian Depression (by example of Astrakhan Oblast). We learned that within a period of maximum temperature rise in February 2000–2009’s durations of S.pygmaeus’ populations of every phonological phase have shortened and been rescheduled with earlier dates (in comparison to 1950–1959’s). The study also shows that these changes caused its population reduction on the Caspian Depression’s territory.

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The influence of the global climate warming on the population dynamics of the small ground squirrel at the border of its range in the northern desert zone on the territory of the Ilmenno-Prideltovy landscape area of the Caspian lowland in 1945–2019 is considered. Data on the numbers of small ground squirrels and the average monthly air temperature in January–February at the Astrakhan weather stations for the last 75 years have been analyzed and statistically processed. It is emphasized that the abundance dynamics of the species is determined by a whole complex of natural and anthropogenic factors. At the same time, in desert conditions, the distribution of air temperature and precipitation by seasons and years is limiting for the small ground squirrel. The January–February temperature effect provoking the awakening of the small ground squirrel from hibernation is analyzed. The high January temperature, followed by the February cooling, led to the mass death of animals, which would subsequently negatively affect the phenology of the main phenomena in the life of this monoestral species, disrupt the population structure and lead to a decrease in the numbers of animals. Against the background of the low January air temperatures, the awakening of the small gopher took place in February–March, and the higher February temperatures provided optimal conditions for a simultaneous exit from hibernation and participation in the reproduction of all sex and age groups of small gophers. Such a combination of January and February air temperatures took place during 1960–1979, which contributed to the growth and preservation of a relatively high level of the species' abundance. The high temperatures of the 1980–2009 winter months provoked the early release of the animals from hibernation: the numbers of ground squirrels decreased and kept at a low level. Against the background of decreases temperatures of the 2010–2019 winter periods, the effect of stabilization of the small ground squirrel population and some increase in the density of the species was observed.

Consolidation of the efforts in implementation of epidemiological surveillance and control over plague and other dangerous natural-focal infections is an essential aspect in ensuring epidemiological well-being as regards particularly dangerous infectious diseases in the territory of natural plague foci and potentially focal territories located within the borders of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan. The aim of the work was to carry out a joint epizootiological survey of the transboundary territories of the Volga-Ural sandy natural plague focus and the territory of the East Kazakhstan region of the Republic of Kazakhstan (RK) potentially focal for plague over the period of 2019–2022. Materials and methods. Samples of field materials, collected during the epizootiological survey of the territory of Kazakhstan, were studied using bacteriological, molecular-genetic, and immune-serological methods. Results and discussion. We have obtained the current evidence on the spatial-biocenotic structure, the circulation of pathogens of dangerous natural-focal infectious diseases in the transboundary territories of Eastern and Western Kazakhstan. It has been established that the conditions that contribute to the possibility of human infection with plague and other dangerous infectious diseases in case of the aggravation of epizootic situation in the foci or importation of the pathogens into the territory are in place.