Conservation of mammalian biodiversity in Ukraine can be divided into three main topics:
1. Conserving and increasing species diversity by rare species protection. In Ukraine 39 mammals are treated in this way - almost one-third of all the country's mammal species - and of them 19 are included in the European Red List. The taxonomic status of some small mammals needs to be defined more closely through comparative genetic research. Papers published in last few decades have, to some extent, changed ideas about the taxonomic diversity of Ukrainian rodents (Meyer, 1972; Haychenko, 1977; Zahorodniuk, 1995; Zahorodniuk, 1996).
2. Conserving mammal population diversity. An interesting aspect is the search for morphological characters, which could be markers of genetic, biochemical and physiological diversity. The search for population polymorphism, especially balanced polymorphism which can be displyed for any feature is particularly exciting. Coloration in some mammal species seems a very promising area for such studies (Kryzhanivskyi, 1975; Dudkin, 1993; Dudkin, 1994).
3. Protecting population structure (distribution by age and sex), which is damaged by harmful human influences. Populations best adapted to, and persistent in the face of such influences need to be found and protected. For game animals, an abrupt break in the natural structure of their population in times of economic and social instability is very disturbing.