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� Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 57 / Tuesday, March 25, 1997 / Proposed Rules 14095
<br /> it in apparently adequate habitat Open Space lands supporting suitable In 1994, the Colorado Natural
<br /> suggests a decline in populations of the habitat. Of 13 sites surveyed, Preble's Heritage Program discovered the
<br /> Preble's throughout its range. The were captured from the Van Vleet site Preble's meadowjumping mouse on Air
<br /> Colorado Natural Heritage Program (in (14 individuals) and the Gebhard site (9 Force Academy lands along Monument
<br /> lift. 1996) ranks Preble's as T2, individuals), both along South Boulder Creek, El Paso County, while performing
<br /> imperiled globally,and S2, imperiled in Creek (Armstrong et al. 1996).The small mammal surveys. In
<br /> the State of Colorado. capture of 23 Preble's in 17,800 comprehensive 1995 studies, an
<br /> Records for Preble's meadowjumping trapnights (one trap set for one night estimated 67 individual Preble's were
<br /> mouse define a historical range equals one trapnight) of effort in captured (Corn et al. 1995). Using
<br /> including Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, suspected habitat lead to the conclusion varying assumptions regarding trapping
<br /> Denver. Douglas. El Paso,Jefferson, that Preble's is not abundant in the results and habitat available. total
<br /> Larimer, and Weld counties in Colorado Piedmont of Boulder County. population estimates for Air Force
<br /> Colorado;and Albany, Laramie, Platte. In 1996, one Preble's was captured on Academy lands of 308 and 449 Preble's
<br /> Goshen, and Converse counties in the Van Vleet site and two on the Burke were generated. These correspond to
<br /> Wyoming (Krutzsch 1954, Compton and 1 site (also City of Boulder Open Space), density estimates in occupied habitat of
<br /> Hugie 1993, Carron Meaney, Denver along South Boulder Creek, during an 2.00 per hectare (0.81 per ac) and 2.92
<br /> Museum of Natural History, pers. extensive study of grassland per ha (1.18 per ac). Twenty Preble's
<br /> comm.. 1996). Historical sites in biodiversity entailing 6,600 trapnights were captured in 1996 on private land
<br /> Colorado were further discussed by of effort (Clint Miller, in lift. 1996). along Smith Creek, east of the Air Force
<br /> Meaney and Clippenger (1995) and Meany and Clippenger (in lift. 1996) Academy (Meaney and Clippenger, in
<br /> Ryon (1995). Based on distribution of reported capturing seven or eight lift. 1996). Based on recent survey .
<br /> apparently suitable habitat, the actual Preble's at a Boulder County Open results,Air Force Academy lands and
<br /> range may have extended further north, Space site on St.Vrain Creek in 1996, nearby private lands may support the
<br /> south, and east. Garber (1995) discussed the only captures of five Boulder County largest existing population of Preble's.
<br /> historical sites from Wyoming and sites they surveyed. Wyoming
<br /> suggested that some historical Preble's At Rocky Flats,Jefferson County,
<br /> study skins from Wyoming may have annual studies have taken place since Preble's meadow jumping mice were
<br /> been misidentified. He indicated that the discovery of the Preble's meadow not located at five sites within their
<br /> without the skulls, positive jumping mouse there in 1991 historical range during 1993 surveys
<br /> identification was not possible. (Harrington et al. 1996). Currently, funded by the Service (Compton and
<br /> As one would expect, given the known populations are located in all Hugie 1994). Tony Elliott of the
<br /> intensity of recent surveys for Preble's four major drainages within the Rocky Wyoming Cooperative Research Unit
<br /> meadowjumping mouse, many more Flats buffer zone from Ryon, PTi successfully captured two Preble's
<br /> individuals have been trapped in the Environmental Services, pers.comm. meadowjumping mice on F.E.Warren
<br /> last 5 years than were historically 1996). During the 1995 field season, 61 Air Force Base. Laramie County, in the
<br /> documented in all previous years Preble's meadow jumping mice were 1995 field season (Garber 1995). Garber
<br /> combined. Preble's meadow jumping trapped at Rocky Flats bringing the total conducted Preble's surveys at four
<br /> mouse is known to exist in four counties number of individual mice trapped Wyoming sites during the 1995 field
<br /> in Colorado and two in Wyoming, but since 1991 to 161 (Fred Harrington, season. He was unable to locate any
<br /> it is not known to be present in five pers. comm. 1995). Estimated density of Preble's on F.E.Warren Air Force Base,
<br /> other counties in Colorado and three Preble's in areas trapped during 1995 but did find Preble's at two locations in
<br /> counties in Wyoming where previously studies ranged up to 36 per hectare 9 the Lodgepole Creek drainage within the
<br /> documented. (ha) (15 per acre (ac)). In 1996, two Medicine Bow National Forest in
<br /> Colorado Preble's were captured on Jefferson Albany County.The Colorado Natural
<br /> County Open Space land near the Heritage Program surveyed for Preble's
<br /> A number of historical and recent mouth of Coal Creek Canyon west of at Warren Air Force Base in 1996 and
<br /> records of Preble's meadowjumping Rocky Flats (Chris Pague. Colorado captured 8 individuals in 2,200
<br /> mouse exist for Boulder County; Natural Heritage Program, pers. comm. trapnights of effort (Chris Pague, pers.
<br /> however, relatively few individuals 1996).This is the only recent report of comm. 1996).
<br /> have been documented in recent Preble's in Jefferson County outside of
<br /> surveys. A summary of past records and Rocky Flats. Previous Federal Action
<br /> a report of 1995 survey results was In 1995.seven Preble's meadow The Service included the Preble's
<br /> provided by Armstrong et al. (1996). jumping mice were captured from a site meadowjumping mouse as a (category
<br /> Compton and Hugie (1993) reported a on East Plum Creek,near Larkspur, 2) candidate species in the 1985 Animal
<br /> single Preble's capture, on the Van Vleet Douglas County,by Harrington Notice of Review (50 FR 37958) and
<br /> site near South Boulder Creek, resulting (Harrington 1995). Also in 1995, the retained that status in subsequent notice
<br /> from a 1992 Service-funded study of Colorado Natural Heritage Program of review, published in the Federal
<br /> four City of Boulder Open Space sites. located Preble's at two sites,one on East Register on January 6, 1989 (54 FR 554).
<br /> One Preble's was found dead on the Van Plum Creek and one on West Plum November 21. 1991 (56 FR 58810).and
<br /> Vleet site in 1993 (Armstrong et al. Creek (Carron Meaney, pers. comm. November 15. 1994 (59 FR 58982).The
<br /> 1996).A single Preble's was captured on 1996).Surveys in 1996 by Meaney and Service has since discontinued the
<br /> City of Boulder Open Space land at Clippenger (in lift. 1996) located practice of maintaining a list of category
<br /> Dowdy Draw (a tributary to South Preble's at an additional site on West 2 species and the Preble's meadow
<br /> Boulder Creek) during 1994 surveys. In Plum Creek south of Sedalia and at a jumping mouse did not appear in the
<br /> 1995. extensive surveys were site on Indian Creek (a tributary to Plum February 28, 1996 (61 FR 7596),notice
<br /> conducted, through a challenge grant Creek) south of Louviers.Three Douglas of review.Category 2 species were those
<br /> cost-share agreement with the Service, County sites are on private land,with species for which information in the
<br /> to determine the presence of Preble's on the fourth, Indian Creek,on Colorado Service's possession indicated that
<br /> City of Boulder and Boulder County Division of Wildlife property. listing was possibly appropriate,but for
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