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10. Wildlife Primary big game animals found in the proposed area include mule deer and elk. Small game animals include sage grouse, blue grouse, shazptail grouse, cottontail rabbit, and jackrabbit. Other species present in the proposed azea include yellow- bellied marmots, chipmunks, deer mice, coyote, bobcat, mountain lion, and long tailed weasels. Small seed eating birds include Rufus sided towhees, green tailed towhees, chipping span•ow, and Oregon junco. Predatory birds include the marsh hawk, great horned owls, and red tailed hawks. On occasion, bald and golden eagles are also observed. Scavenging birds include the black-billed magpie and turkey vulture. Reptiles that may be present include the eastern fence lizazd, sagebrush lizard, side blotched lizard, gopher snake, and western prairie rattlesnake. There aze no rare, threatened, or endangered species known to be present in the proposed drilling azea. There aze no fish species present in the proposed azea. 11. Threatened and Endangered (T&E) Species Both the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have beenpreviously consulted and have provided favorable input that exploration drilling activities will not adversely impact fish and wildlife species or any listed species. This information has been provided to the Division previously and is provided again at the end of this NOI package in Attachment A. The proposed exploration area encompasses a portion of the larger Danforth Hills region of northwest Colorado. Extensive areas of mountain shrub/sagebrush vegetation types and, to a much lesser degree, aspen, juniper woodlands, and grassland vegetation types chazacterize the Danforth Hills region. A number of the Danforth Hills projects containing examples of these vegetation types have received considerable environmental analysis. Many ofthese projects aze located adjacent to or in the general vicinity of the proposed project. During the preparation of these studies, the analysis of T&E species has received considerable scrutiny. A review of these studies (listed below) indicates little specific occurrence or major concerns regarding T&E species within these project azeas. As such, with the results of these studies in mind, we anticipate that within the similar habitats found in the proposed exploration area, there will be no significant occurrence of T&E species. Therefore, no T&E species existence will be in jeopardy N:\CCC_ENGWAN\DMG\NOI DOC\07NOP07 NOI Tezt.doc 10/26/06 6