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FI20M GLV8Asoc. • <br />PHONE N0. 970 565 100 <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />Roy Romer, Governor <br />DfiPARTMEN'F OF PiATURAL RESOURCES <br />Dlvrsioly of wILnLIFE <br />M EQN. mP~'ft1tF1V E~Pt01Ut <br />.)Ohn M. Mummd. Dir~tor <br />6060 BroaAway <br />OCrtver, ColoraQO 80216 <br />T®7BOROrte: C303) 297-1192 <br />Ms. Susie Campbell Bell <br />P.O. Box 312 <br />Cortez, CO 81321 <br />Nov. 12, 1997 <br />[Dear Susie, <br />Nov. 14 1997 03:09PM P2 <br />c.°vO~Oo <br />•~- <br />For Mi lGli Te <br />For G¢oDle <br />In reference to your inquiry as to the species of wildlife that utilize the area around your home Sotrth of <br />Cortez near Canty roads F and 21. There has been no formal wildlife study in this area, however, by <br />applying causal observations over my 8 yeazs in the area, known species habitat relationships, and <br />tioctunemation of known species to occur in the general area, I can give you a rough idea of the wildlife <br />species composition that may occta in the area of your concern. <br />i~ Mamtnais: There are two main species in this group that occur in your area, Mnle deer and Mt. lion. <br />The area supports a small residential herd of deer sad the area is within critical winter range for deer <br />migrating to lower country from both the western end of Mesa Verde and the Ute Mountain to the east. <br />Lying between Ute Mt. and Mesa Verde the area serves as a migration comdor for big game. A healthy <br />population of Mt. Lion inhabit the rocky canyons in the surrounding area and hum the deer and snarl <br />mammals associated wilt the area. <br />m tl M mmala Bird.: A variety of both predator and prey species inhabit the semi-desert shrub lands <br />around your home. Prey species critics! to this habitat include a variety of mice, tats, voles, ground <br />squirrels, jack rabbits, cottontail rabbits, shrews, 1vards, and prairie dogs. Examples of predators include: <br />gray, red and kit fox, coyote, bobs[[, skunk, weasel, rittgtail, raccoon, and badger. The lower areas South <br />wand west of Cortez are major hunting/wimering arras for birds of prey including golden and bald eagles, <br />Red-tailed hawks, Harriers, Swaitti9ons hawk, American Kestrel, great-horned and long~ared owls, etc. A <br />vatiery of nontropical birds along with pheasatnc and possibly gambei's quail inbabit the sagebnrsh and <br />nearby pinon/juniper and agricultural type habitat. To the east of your home on the Mesa Verde escarpment <br />there is a active peregrine falcon erie. Peregrine Falcons aze listed federally as a threatened species and it is <br />trot inconceivable that the falcons tray also hunt the area around your borne. <br />A variety of reptiles and amphibians occupy the habitat. These may include the New Mexico <br />Spadefoot, collared lizards, the lesser eariess Bard, short-horned lizard, sagebrush lizard, fence, tree and <br />side-blotched lizard and the Westeln and Plateau Whiptails. Snakes such as the night snake, bullsnake, <br />whipsnake, and western rattlesnake. <br />I hope this information is of some use to you. If I can help you in some other way please feel free to <br />oorrtact me. <br />S~~ ~ 07 C~~..~rv'~ <br />Robin L. Olterman <br />District wildlife Manager <br />Colo. Division of Wildlife <br /> <br />