Chapter 10 Issues: Nongame, Threatened and Endangered Wildlife

Home Browse Search

Paso (Beaver Creek, Monument Creek watershed, Pine Creek, Jackson Creek, Smith Creek) counties, and possibly in Las Animas County (San Isabel National Forest). Comments - Federally proposed as endangered. The range of the mouse corresponds with the rapidly developing front range urban corridor from Colorado Springs to Laramie, WY. Distribution in 2 counties is based on less than 20 individuals captured. Little is known about the population numbers or trend in a majority of the locations. Most sites where the mouse has been found are not protected, and many have high potential for modification or destruction. Tanning surveys in 1994 documented that a number of historically occupied sites are no longer inhabited by the mouse. Threats include: widespread destruction and modification of riparian corridors and wet meadow habitats through agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial and recreational development. Fragmentation of habitat may be a critical threat to repopulating small sites of occurrence. SOUTHWESTERN WILLOW FLYCATCHER Proposed Action - List as endangered Habitat - riparian habitats along streams, rivers or other wetlands below 8500 feet elevation with dense shrub component CO Distribution /Use - Summer resident in 18 western counties Comments - Federally listed as endangered in 1995. The occurrence of this subspecies in Colorado is unclear. The federal listing designation, however, treats all willow flycatchers breeding in southwestern Colorado as if they are the southwestern subspecies. Threats include: extensive loss of habitat, brood parasitism by cowbirds (related to loss and modification of habitat), and lack of adequate protective regulations. MOUNTAIN PLOVER Proposed Action - Remain a nongame species, and add administrative classification of special concern Habitat - prairie grasslands CO Distribution /Use - Summer resident on eastern plains and mountain parks Comments - A federal listing proposal is expected to be submitted in July 1998. The FWS 1990 assessment of the plover's status concluded that Federal listing should be considered throughout its range. Historically mountain plovers were considered a common resident of the eastern plains and occasional in the mountain parks of Colorado. By 1965, concern was expressed that the plovers were becoming rare over much of their breeding territories. Indicators of population trends show a possible decline of 38 -70% over 31 years. While populations have declined in traditional breeding areas, additional inventories conducted since 1995 suggest that mountain plovers are more widely distributed than previously known. Threats include: conversion of native prairie grasslands to cultivation, and possibly loss of prairie dog colonies, predation from expanding swift fox populations, oil and gas exploration on National Grasslands, and increasing recreation .on National Grasslands. Threats to the wintering grounds in California include: conversion of agricultural fields where the majority of the population winters, chemical contamination from fertilizers on remaining agricultural fields where plovers winter. Special concern status is proposed in lieu of state listing