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Reservoir and Hotchkiss; however, neither the Coal Creek nor West Muddy <br />• Game Management Units is considered a cruical elk wintering area (Bureau of <br />Land Management, undated). <br />The Bureau of Land Management (undated) estimate that 2,030 elk were <br />present in the West Muddy Game Management Unit and 855 in the Coal Creek <br />Game Management Unit during June. Approximately 433 animals use the Coal <br />Gulch grazing allotment area for at least part of each year. <br />Other Orders <br /> Rodentia is by far the most abundant and diverse order in the region <br /> with 36 species reported. Rodent populations tend to fluctuate widely in <br /> response to predation and habitat variation. The requirements of indivi- <br /> dual species such as beaver can b e quite specific resulting in low toler- <br />• once and more narrow niches. On the other hand, some members such as the <br /> deer mouse, are more widespread, occurring throughout the region even <br />in areas which have been Beverly disturbed. Rodent populations are a <br />significant part of numerous food chains and the overall food web of the <br />region. Numerous species of mammals, birds, and reptiles rely on rodents <br />as their primary food source. <br />Six members of the order Lagomorpha are present in the region, <br />including two species of cottontail rabbits. Since 1974, when populations <br />were extremely low, an increase in cottontail populations has been evident. <br />Snowshoe hares and pika are both found above 8,000 feet, the former in <br />spruce-fir forest and the latter on talus slopes. <br />C: <br />2.04-55 <br />