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6.4.8 Exhibit H -Wildlife Information <br />• meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblel~ and bald eagle and one ' <br />endangered species, black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes). The candidate for <br />listing is the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus). A candidate for <br />listing is a species for which the USFWS has concluded that listing is warranted. <br />However, listing activities for the species are precluded by other, higher priority <br />listing activities. The USFWS reviews this decision annually. Candidate species <br />have no formal protection under the Endangered Species Act. However, they <br />are of concern because they could potentially be proposed for listing prior to the <br />start of mining. <br />• <br />• <br />Preble's meadow jumping mouse (PMJM) occupies dense herbaceous <br />vegetation, usually with a shrub and/or tree overstory in riparian areas, and is <br />known to feed in upland areas up to 300 m from the riparian habitat (USFWS, <br />2004). Potentially suitable PMJM habitat is not present within the proposed <br />permit area. <br />Bald eagles nest in large trees, usually near a large body of water that provides a <br />source of fish, the species main food source (Snow, 1973). They tend to return <br />to the same nest site year after year adding on to the nest each year (Snow, <br />1973). No large trees typically used by bald eagles were observed during on-site <br />surveys. Therefore, it is unlikely that bald eagles nest on or the site. During the <br />winter Colorado is occupied by many bald eagles that nest further north. <br />Essential winter habitat includes communal overnight roost sites. Communal , <br />roosts are trees used by several eagles at a time throughout the winter. No trees <br />suitable for communal roost sites are present within the proposed permit area. <br />During the winter bald eagles feed on a wide variety of food including carrion and <br />small to medium sized birds and mammals. However, fish are still the preferred <br />food source (Steenhoff, 1978). Bald eagles wintering in Colorado are frequently <br />seen away from water particularly near prairie dog towns where they will feed on <br />prairie dogs (Andrews and Righter, 1992). No prairie dogs are present on the <br />site, but there are some just west of the site. Bald eagles probably hunt over the <br />project site. However, cover on the site is poor and prey is scarce. Better <br />hunting opportunities are present west of the site. Bald eagles hunt over large <br />areas and the proposed permit area is a small portion of a bald eagle's foraging <br />area. <br />Black-footed ferrets are obligate inhabitants of prairie dog towns (USFWS, 1989). <br />Black-footed ferrets use prairie dog burrows for dens and their diet consists <br />almost entirely of prairie dogs (Fagerstone, 1987). No prairie dogs are present <br />on the site. <br />Black-tailed prairie dogs are colonial burrowing rodents. They construct large <br />mounds of dirt at their burrow entrances, which are very visible. Therefore, it is <br />relatively easy to determine black-tailed prairie dog presence or absence. No <br />black-tailed prairie dogs are present on the site. <br />File Pit 112 DMG Permit Application <br />Page 14 of 27 <br />