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1 4.6.2.3 Lagomorphs <br />Rabbits, as discussed in Section 2.4 of this permit application, are year-around <br />residents of the mine plan area. The destruction of vegetation will affect the <br />population through the loss of habitat but a rapid recovery is expected on <br />reclaimed areas. Population levels are expected to increase to such a level that <br />young shrub tubelings (if used) may be damaged and population control may become <br />necessary. Mature shrub transplants will provide needed cover for the species <br />while reseeding of native species will provide readily available food and cover. <br />4.6.2.4 Raptors <br />Various species of raptors inhabit the proposed mine plan area and adjacent areas <br />(Section 2.4). Mining activities are expected to have little or no effect on <br />important raptor species. <br />The major effect of mining and associated activities will be the short term loss <br />of hunting habitat through the destruction of suitable prey habitat. To reduce <br />the loss as hunting habitat, soils disturbance will be kept to a minimum. As <br />reclamation of disturbed areas progresses, a rapid repopulation of rodents is <br />expected. This population increase is expected to surpass pre-mine levels and <br />may even reach a level that could be detrimental to the establishment of <br />perennial plant species. Increased raptor use is expected of the mine plan area <br />as a result of this increase in prey species. Thinning of the dense mountain <br />shrub communities will also allow raptors to more easily locate and obtain prey. <br />To promote use of the revegetated areas, raptor perches are placed on reseeded <br />rangeland areas. <br />The results of the raptor nesting survey (Appendix E) indicate that the majority <br />of the nesting activities occur on the south facing cliffs of the Williams Fork <br />Mountains. As no disturbance is projected for this area, little effect is <br />expected on the nesting activities of species utilizing this area. It is possi- <br />ble that noise may have a slight effect but as active mining is restricted to the <br /> <br />4-160 <br />REVISED FEB 13 '87