1980-07-11_REVISION - M1977493 (8)

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Table 7 . 3-1 . Small Mammals Trapped and Their Indicated Population Densities (Glover, 1973 ) Species Average Density Deer mice animals acre Red-backed vole .83 animals/acre Least Chipmunk . 07 animals/acre Red-squirrel only 1 animal caught Short-tailed weasel only 1 animal caught Long-tailed voel 2.31 animals/acre Summer is the season of greatest resource use by wild- life in the Climax area. Deer and elk reside in the spruce-fir forest and utilize the grazing and browsing resources of the alpine-tundra, meadow, willow and aspen communities during summer and autumn. During this time, big horn sheep may occas- ionally frequent the Climax area from adjacent lands. Winter temperatures and snows drastically reduce re- source use by wildlife in the Climax area and many are forced to migrate to lower winter ranges or enter into a state of dormancy of one degree or another. Climax affected lands are not known to interfere with wildlife seasonal migration routes. No part of the Climax area has been designated as "Critical Habitat" for endangered or threatened species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The Canadian lynx (Lynx canadensis) is included on the Colorado State Threatened and Endangered Wildlife list as an endangered species. Several of the lynx have been reported trapped from the Gore Range and Buffalo Peaks area during the last ten years. Both the bobcat (Lynx rufus) and the Canadian lynx are under inclusion by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for future review re- garding a threatened status for the species. Several undocu- mented sightings of the Peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus) have occurred in the area since 1960 , and there 3s one recorded sighting (Colorado Division of Wildlife Conservation Officer, Harvey Donohue ) of a wolverine (Gulo luscus) in the Tenmile Range around 1960. Two undocumented sightings of wolverine were reported by reliable sources in the Birdseye Gulch area. 7-8