Laserfiche WebLink
• The results of the spring small mammal trapping survey are presented in Table 2.04.11-3. The <br />undisturbed pinyon-juniperfsagebrush rocky bluff supported the most diverse small mammal fauna. <br />The agricultural area (Line No. 3) was also relatively diverse. The rangeland habitat had the lowest <br />diversity value and the lowest capture rate. The orchard site with only 16 trap nights had the <br />highest capture rate. A total of five species were found during this trapping period. Two of these, <br />the Colorado chipmunk and white-throated woodrat were found only on the undisturbed pinyon- <br />juniper/sagebrush bluff. The pinyon mouse and house mouse were found only during the spring. <br />The fall small mammal trapping results are presented in Table 2.04.11-4. The agricultural area <br />(Line No. 8) had the greatest diversity and capture rate. The rangeland, as in the spring, again had <br />the lowest diversity and capture rate. The western harvest mouse, deer mouse, and long-tailed <br />vole were found during both survey periods. <br />Mule deer was the only large mammal species observed in the study area. The number of deer <br />observed per day in the study area and immediate vicinity varied from zero to 15 with a mean daily <br />observation rate of 5.63 (st. dev. = 9.95; n [observation days] = 22). Most observations made in <br />the daylight hours were in the willow component of the swales, in old orchards, and in rangeland <br />habitats. In the early evenings and mornings, deerwere occasionally observed foraging in irrigated <br />• pastures and meadows. Observational records indicate that deer are present in the study area all <br />year. Deer move into the San Miguel Valley in winter from neighboring plateaus (R. Arant pers. <br />comm.), but winter observations indicate no notable concentrations in the study area at that time. <br />Elk winter in the San Miguel River Valley, having descended from adjacent plateaus and <br />mountains. Elk are occasionally seen in the Nucla area (R. Arant pers. comm.). No elk or elk sign <br />was observed in the New Horizon 2 study area during the course of conducting baseline studies. <br />The muskrat, raccoon, striped skunk, and coyote are the furbearing mammals that were confirmed <br />in the New Horizon 2 study area. The red fox and the long-tailed weasel were reported at the New <br />Horizon 1 Mine in 1980 (Peabody Tab 11, Wildlife Baseline Report- Nucla Mine). The occurrence <br />of lhese species was not quantified but observations indicate that striped skunks and muskrats are <br />numerous in the study area. The bobcat, gray fox, and ring-tailed cat also occur in the San Miguel <br />River Valley (R. Arant pers. comm.), but none were observed during the course of conducting <br />baseline studies. <br />• <br />(Revised March zoos) 2.04.11-15 <br />