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DISCUSSION OF EFFECTS AND RATIONALE <br />Sensitive Species -Terrestrial Vertebrates <br />Townsend's big-eared bat: Townsend's big-eared bats have not been formally <br />' documented in the project area. Townsend's big-eared bats are consistently found in <br />areas with canyons or cliffs. Townsend's big-eared bats roost primarily in exposed open <br />areas, but are known to use cool, damp caves or mine tunnels, old buildings, and rocky <br />' outcroppings. Townsend's big-eared bat foraging habitat is comprised of juniper/pine <br />forests, shrub steppe grasslands, deciduous forest, and mixed coniferous forests from sea <br />level to 10,000 feet elevation. It forages near tree and shrub foliage for moths and other <br />flying insects. Suitable reproductive, roosting, and migration/dispersal habitat occurs <br />within the proposed project area. <br />Fringed myotis: Fringed myotis bats have not been formally documented in the project <br />area. The fringed myotis is considered to be uncommon in Colorado. They have been <br />found in ponderosa pine woodlands, greasewood, oakbrush, and saltbush shrublands. <br />Caves, mines and buildings are used as both day and night roosts. Reproductive and <br />hibernation sites include caves and buildings, both of which are lacking in the project <br />' area. <br />Spotted bat: No spotted bat occurrence has been formally documented within the <br />proposed project area. Potential reproductive habitats for spotted bat are crevices high up <br />on steep cliff faces. Cracks and crevices in limestone or sandstone cliffs are critical <br />roosting sites. Potential foraging habitat for spotted bat includes open ponderosa pine <br />and Pinyon juniper forests, open desert scrub shrubland, open pasture and hay fields. <br />Spotted bat suitable reproductive, roosting, and migration/dispersal habitat, in the <br />presence of cliffs and rocky outcroppings is lacking within the project location. <br />' Wolverine: The status of the wolverine in Colorado is unknown at this time (CDOW <br />2004). The CDOW has conducted surveys in the state, but have not found any definitive <br />' evidence of any wolverines. Wolverines are wide ranging and occur in low densities in <br />large roadless or isolated areas. Radio-tracking studies of wolverine in northwest <br />Montana indicate that wolverines prefer rugged, relatively inaccessible mountainous <br />' areas at the high elevations in the summer and move to lower (but still snow bound) <br />elevations in the winter (Hornocker and Hash 1981). Seventy percent of all relocated <br />animals were found in large areas of medium or scattered mature timber. Ecotonal areas, <br />' small timber pockets, and rocky, timbered benches accounted for the remainder of the <br />relocation sites. Subalpine fir was the predominant timber type selected by wolverines. <br />One conclusion of this study was that wilderness or remote country where human activity <br />is limited appears to be essential for the maintenance of viable wolverine populations. <br />Suitable wolverine habitat is lacking in the project area. <br />' American marten: One American marten was observed in a spruce-fir stand above the <br />Deep Creek slide area. The marten inhabits late successional coniferous or mixed forests <br />throughout northern North America. Martens are most abundant in mature to old-growth <br />22