2012-03-26_APPLICATION CORRESPONDENCE - C2010089

Home Browse Search

and eyes suggest it has acute hearing and sight, but smell is probably its most important sense for hunting prey underground in the dark. The species occupies grassland plains in close association with prairie dog colonies at elevations of less than 10,500 feet above mean sea level. The black - footed ferret preys on prairie dogs primarily and uses their burrows for shelter and denning. Canada lynx The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), is a medium -sized cat with long legs, large, well - furred paws, long tufts on the ears, and a short, black- tipped tail. The winter pelage of the lynx is dense and has a grizzled appearance with grayish -brown mixed with buff or pale brown fur on the back, and grayish -white or buff -white fur on the belly, legs and feet. Summer pelage of the lynx is more reddish to gray- brown. Adult males average 22 pounds in weight and 33.5 inches in length (head to tail), and females average 19 pounds and 32 inches. The lynx's long legs and large feet make it highly adapted for hunting in deep snow. Suitable habitat includes primary habitat of coniferous forests of spruce (Picea spp.) and fir (Abies spp.) or lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and secondary habitat of aspen (Populus spp.) or Douglas -fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) mixed with the primary habitat at elevations between 8,000 and 11,500 feet. Lynx also periodically traverse other forested and non - forested habitats including lower elevation woodlands and shrublands. Within these general forest types, lynx are most likely to persist in areas that receive deep snow and have high- density populations of snowshoe hares, the principal prey of lynx. Candidates Gunnison sage- grouse The Gunnison sage - grouse (Centrocercus minimus), is a large grouse, dark gray overall, with a long, pointed tail, pale breast, and black belly. Males are larger than females; adult total length averages around 22 inches in males, 18 inches in females; body mass is around 74.06 ounces in males, 38.80 ounces in females. The life cycle involves several significant stages, minimally including wintering, lek attendance, nesting, and brood rearing. Sage - grouse use a variety of habitats throughout the year, but the primary component necessary is sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), especially big sagebrush (A. tridentata). Sagebrush is used for hiding and thermal cover, as well as a primary food source in the winter. During the remainder of the year Gunnison sage - grouse eat sagebrush, forbs, and insects. Leks, used for male displays from mid -March to early June, consist of open areas with good visibility (for predator detection) and acoustics (for transmission of male display sounds). Female nesting sites typically are in relatively tall and dense stands of sagebrush, about 218.7- 1708.9 yards from the leks. Nest sites also have grass and forbs that provide additional hiding cover. Females with young remain in sagebrush uplands if hiding cover is adequate and if food (succulent forbs and insects) is available. As chicks mature and vegetation in the uplands desiccates, females move their broods to wet meadow areas that retain succulent forbs and 9�i ;