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• occurring in all habitat types on t'~ study area during October, 1979. The <br />results of the scent-station survey an3 the corresponding indices of rela- <br />tive abundance are presented in Appa'.dix B, Part 3 and summari2ed in Table <br />3. For con~arative purposes, the results o` twu federally-surveyed lines <br />conducted by United States Fish and wildlifz Service (U51~4S) in 1978 are <br />presented in Table 4, The 1979 results of tine surveyed lines are not avail- <br />able. <br />Scent-station results indicate that the coyote is the most abundant mam- <br />malian predator in the vicinity of t:e Nucla mine. Cantarison of the <br />scent-station data with the results of the federal lines indicate that coyote <br />populations in the vicinity of the `ucla mine were well below the 1978 <br />state and regional averages. <br />The coyote occurs throughout Colorado, from the eastern plains tiv_ough the <br />central mountains to the western border. Some of the largest coyote popu- <br />lations o«-ur in the southeast regior. of t':e state (personal ca:crninication, <br />• March 1980, Can Balser, Colorado S7ilclife Research Unit). Rodents and <br />rabbits are the main items of diet, but they may depend on berries, carrion, <br />gave animals, and darestic sheep in certain circimistances and at certain <br />times of the year. <br />A species of fox was the second most abundant predator encountered at scent~- <br />stations in the vicinity of the stud: area. Although different species of <br />foxes are difficult if not impossible to distinguish on the basis of tracks, <br />it is believed that the fox encountered in the Nucla area was the red fox, <br />although gray foxes were encountered on the nearby federally-surveyed line. <br />Red foxes are secretive aninals and are very rarely seen; none were seen <br />by P1ARlF~fi's field personnel. however, interviews with local residents and <br />DCW personnel (Rick Sherman) indicates that the red fox is the one most <br />~monly observed in the area. In a:.y case, foxes appear to be quite <br />c~armon in the area as the fox index as determined fr~n scent-station data <br />was above that recorded for the gray fox on ttti nearby survey line and the <br />state averages for both the gray fox and red fox. Both foxes eat a va_iety <br />. of animals and plants including ma~r3ls, birds, reptiles, an~}-..bi~,ns, insects, <br />earrJn.~,n~a;, berries, crrasses and forks (Le~-aleitner 1969) . <br />-41- <br />~uM i i »ea <br />