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Section 780.16 (a) Continued. Revised 11/20/80 Temporary negative impacts are inevitable on wildlife inhabiting the mine plan and adjacent areas. Within the proposed Kerr North Area, short-term negative impacts to wildlife are to be expected. However, with proper reclamation, enhancement of original wildlife habitat, as discussed above, is likely to occur. Specific mitiga- tion and enhancement measures with respect to particular species are discussed below. Anticipated Impacts - Kerr Mine Area and Kerr Tipple Area Antelope. Although the antelope herd identified in Section 779.20 will experience a temporary loss of several hundred acres of summer habitat as a result of mining activities in the Kerr Mine Area, impacts on antelope are expected to be minimal because of the abun- dance of alternative summer range in the area. It is anticipated that the antelope herd now identified within the Kerr Mine Area will continue to utilize the area for foraging until the actual mining begins. Antelope are not expected to completely abandon the entire area upon commencement of mining, and only those portions actually disturbed by mining activities will be lost as antelope habitat. Moreover, the early establishment of rapidly maturing and more nutritious plant species on the reclaimed areas will serve to further mitigate any temporary loss of habitat. The expectation that mining activities at the Kerr Mine Area and the Kerr Tipple Area will have a minimal impact on antelope is supported by consi- derable research studies of antelope responses to similar dis- turbances such as range fires and range conversion projects. Mule Deer. As shown on Map 21, North Park Big Game Distribution, the Kerr Mine Area is used by mule deer only as summer range. In addition, recent animal counts have established that current sum- mering density in the Kerr Mine Area averages only one deer per 780-40 as