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Chapter 2 <br />History of Habitat Use and Habitat Trends <br />for the Target Species <br />INTRODUCTION <br />The Central and Lower Platte River and surrounding area provide habitat for the four target threatened <br />and endangered species: the whooping crane, interior least tern, piping plover, and pallid sturgeon (see <br />photographs on the next page). This chapter describes the Central and Lower Platte River habitat, how <br />the species historically used the habitat, and how changes in the river and surrounding area have altered <br />the available habitat. Population trends for the species are also described. For the purpose of the <br />Endangered Species Act (ESA) biological assessment, this chapter provides the description of the status <br />of the species and their habitat. <br />The map of the Platte River in Nebraska (figure 2 -1) shows several features important to this study. <br />➢ Highlighted in green are the areas of the Platte River and tributaries that have been designated <br />as critical habitat for the Northern Great Plains population of the piping plover. <br />➢ Cross - hatched in black is the area along the Central Platte River that has been designated as <br />critical habitat for the whooping crane. <br />➢ Outlined in brown is the area along the Central Platte that has been identified as the focus area <br />of the proposed Recovery Implementation Program (Program) for restoration of whooping <br />crane, piping plover, and least tern habitat (Central Platte Habitat Area). <br />➢ Cross - hatched in red is the reach of the Platte River from the Elkhorn River to the Missouri <br />River that has been identified for the Program as the area of pallid sturgeon habitat in the Platte <br />(Lower Platte Habitat Area). <br />December 2003 <br />