2020-12-08_REVISION - M2008078 (23)

Home Browse Search

ERC West Farm Pit Expansion Project Site Threatened-Endangered Species and General Wildlife Screening the state in 2001. Since then, 6 additional locations within the state have been utilized as reintroduction sites.These reintroduction areas include: • Wolf Creek Management Area in Gunnison County. Reintroduction of ferrets began in 2001 with a total of 252 ferrets being released into the Wolf Creek Management Areas(WCMA; north of Rangely, CO) and 8 into the Coyote Basin Management Area. In the WCMA, reintroductions occurred each fall from 2001-2008. A plague epizootic within the white-tailed prairie dog population in the WCMA was discovered in 2008.This epizootic coincided with the reduction in detected ferrets during surveys.The epizootic continued through 2010 and populations of white-tailed prairie dogs(WTPD)were still very low in 2011. CPW has taken measures to reduce the impact of plague by treating burrows with an insecticide in 2008-2009 and monitoring areas for further outbreaks.As a result of this disease and its impacts,CPW has declined to accept any captive-bred ferrets for release within the WCMA since 2009. Future allocation requests will be dependent on future disease surveillance, and ferret and WTPD population monitoring. No surveys for ferrets have occurred at WCMA since 2010(CPW 2019). • Walker Ranch in Pueblo County. In November 2013, 55 ferrets were released on the Walker Ranch, Pueblo County,Colorado.The ranch is comprised of-63,000 acres on the south border of Fort Carson. Plague was documented at Walker Ranch in 2015, reducing the active BTPD acres from —6,500 to a low of—700 in 2016.The colony has begun the slow recovery process, increasing in —850 acres in Fall 2018. CPW personnel began plague management by dusting in 2014and plague vaccine was added in 2017. As of 2018, a total of 107 ferrets had been released at the site. Spotlight surveys at Walker Ranch have documented expansion of the ferret population to the southern portion of the property (south of Hwy 50)where releases had not occurred.Surveys and plague management at the site have been a cooperative effort, including personnel from CPW, USFWS, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), US Department of Agriculture-Wildlife Services, and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CPW 2019). • Soapstone Natural Area in Larimer County. In September and October 2014,42 ferrets were released on Soapstone Natural Area and Meadow Springs Ranch in Larimer County, Colorado. Fort Collins Natural Areas (FCNA) manages over 1,500 acres of BTPD colonies within the 28 square miles of Soapstone Natural Area. Plague was documented annually at Soapstone since 2013, resulting in a reduction of active prairie dog acres. Soapstone continues to be a research site for sylvatic plague vaccine trials (Tripp et al. 2017) in Colorado and Fort Collins Natural Areas staff continues plague management at the site by dusting —1,000 acres and applying plague vaccine to active prairie dog colonies. Spotlight surveys at Soapstone have documented expansion of the ferret population across the property as well as multiple litters of wild-born kits. As of 2018, a total of 95 ferrets have been released at Soapstone. Surveys and plague management at the site have been a cooperative effort, including personnel from FCNA, CPW, USFWS, NRCS, and others(CPW 2019). • North Holly Complex in Prowers County. In October and November 2014,45 ferrets were released on the North Holly Complex, Prowers County,Colorado.The North Holly Complex is made up of 5 private ranches covering nearly 6,000 acres. Plague was documented at North Holly in 2015, reducing the active BTPD acres from—3,000 to—100. Plague management dusting began in 2015 and plague vaccine was added in 2017. As of 2018, a total of 61 ferrets have been released at the site. Spotlight surveys at North Holly have documented wild born kits. Surveys and plague management at the site have been a cooperative effort, including personnel from CPW, USFWS, NRCS, and others (CPW 2019). 10