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Es hibil H CMLRB 112 Permit Application
<br />Agile Slone Systems, Inc.
<br />• elk in this region and, like their prey, are typically wide-ranging. Mountain lions will
<br />follow their prey's seasonal movement and inhabit summer range or winter range in
<br />conjunction with deer and elk. Preferred habitat of mountain lions consists of rough or
<br />steep terrain in remote areas with suitable rock or vegetational cover. It is possible that
<br />portions of the permit area are located within a territory occupied by mountain lion.
<br />Mountain lion use of the permit azea is most likely to coincide with winter and eazly
<br />spring when mule deer may enter the azea.
<br />4.3 Predators and Forbearers
<br />Predators and furbeazers potentially occurring in the permit area include coyote, gray fox,
<br />ringtail, raccoon, badger, long-tailed weasel, striped skunk, westem spotted skunk, and
<br />bobcat (Meaney 1990, Fitzgerald et al. 1994). Due to the secretive nature and nocturnal
<br />habits of many of these species, little information on distribution and population densities
<br />in the region is available and species presence can be difficult to determine. Field
<br />surveys documented only the presence of coyote. Coyote scat was infrequently observed
<br />but was noted in most habitats within the permit azea. The remainder of the other
<br />species, except for badger, aze most likely to occur in association with Tallahassee Creek
<br />and/or the broken terrain represented by pinon/juniper slopes to the north of the creek.
<br />Striped skunk, westem spotted skunk, and long-tailed weasel occur in a variety of
<br />habitats but aze most often found in habitats near water. Bobcat and gray fox, like
<br />coyote, occur in wide variety of habitats, but rugged woodland azeas aze often preferred.
<br />• Ringtails inhabit open, semi-arid country where rocky outcroppings, canyons, or talus
<br />slopes aze present. Badgers, on the other hand, prefer open grassland and sagebrush
<br />habitats supporting populations of ground squirrels and other small rodents. Numerous
<br />rodent burrows were noted on the grassland bench south of Tallahassee Creek, but no
<br />evidence of badger diggings was observed.
<br />4.4 Other Mammals
<br />Habitats within the permit azea support a variety of small and medium-sized mammals
<br />associated with grassland, shrub, and piiion/juniper habitats. Rodents and other small
<br />mammal species represent an important food source for raptors and mammalian and
<br />reptilian predators. Field surveys documented the presence of northern pocket gopher,
<br />rock squirrel, least chipmunk, bushy-tailed woodrat, and Nuttall's cottontail. Other
<br />species potentially present, based on their ranges and habitat preferences, include black-
<br />tailed jackrabbit, westem harvest mouse, rock mouse, deer mouse, pinon mouse, northern
<br />grasshopper mouse, meadow vole, and porcupine.
<br />Several species of bats associated with semi-arid habitats aze potential inhabitants of the
<br />permit azea. Natural caves, abandoned mine shafts and adits, as well as crevices in areas
<br />of rock outcrop represent potential roost and/or maternity sites for many of these species.
<br />No natural caves or old mine workings aze located within the permit area, but azeas of
<br />rock outcrop associated with the cliff area (Map J, Exhibit J) and the proposed sandstone
<br />quarry site could provide suitable rock crevice roost sites for species such as westem
<br />. small-footed myotis, fringed myotis, long-legged myotis, and spotted bat (Colorado
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