[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 15, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13950-13952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6332]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: 90-Day Finding for 
a Petition to List the Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse as Threatened or 
Endangered

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of 90-day petition finding.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 90-
day finding for a petition to list the Preble's meadow jumping mouse 
(Zapus hudsonius preblei) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended. The Service finds that there is substantial information to 
indicate that listing the species may be warranted.

DATES: The finding announced in this document was approved on February 
27, 1994. To be considered in the 12-month finding for this petition, 
information and comments should be submitted to the Service by May 15, 
1995.

ADDRESSES: Information, questions, or comments concerning this petition 
finding may be sent to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 730 Simms Street, Room 290, Golden, Colorado 80401. The 
petition, finding, supporting data, and comments are available for 
public inspection by appointment during normal business hours at the 
above office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
LeRoy W. Carlson (see ADDRESSES) (303/231-5280).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (Service) make a finding on whether a petition to 
list, delist, or reclassify a species presents substantial scientific 
or commercial information to demonstrate that the petitioned action may 
be warranted. To the maximum extent practicable, this finding is to be 
made within 90 days of the receipt of the petition, and a notice 
regarding the finding is to be published promptly in the Federal 
Register. If the finding is that substantial information was presented, 
the Service also is required to commence a review of the status of the 
involved species if one has not already been initiated by the Service. 
The Service initiated a status review for Preble's meadow jumping mouse 
(Zapus hudsonius preblei) when it categorized the species as a category 
2 candidate species in the 1985 Animal Notice of Review (50 FR 37958). 
This notice meets the requirement for the 90-day finding made earlier 
on the petition as discussed below.
    A petition dated August 9, 1994, was received by the Service from 
the Biodiversity Legal Foundation on August 16, 1994. The petition 
requests the Service to list Preble's meadow jumping mouse as 
endangered or threatened throughout its range and to designate critical 
habitat within a [[Page 13951]] reasonable amount of time following the 
listing.
    The petitioner submitted information that Preble's meadow jumping 
mouse populations in Colorado and Wyoming are imperiled by ongoing and 
increasing urban, industrial, agricultural, ranching, and recreational 
development; wetland and riparian habitat destruction and/or 
conversion; and inadequacy or lack of governmental protection for the 
subspecies and its habitats.
    The Preble's meadow jumping mouse is a small rodent in the family 
Zapodidae. The coloration and the skull characteristics of the Preble's 
meadow jumping mouse were described by Krutzsch (1954).
    Krutzsch (1954), Quimby (1951), and Armstrong (1972) concur that 
this species dwells mostly in low undergrowth consisting of grasses, 
forbs, or both; in open wet meadows and riparian corridors near forests 
(coniferous and deciduous hardwoods); or where tall shrubs and low 
trees provide adequate cover. It prefers lowlands with medium to high 
moisture over dry uplands. However, current research at Rocky Flats (M. 
Bakeman and F. Harrington, pers. comm. 1994) indicates that the dryer 
upland habitats are preferred to construct their winter hibernaculums 
whereas moist lowlands are utilized during the spring and summer months 
when the Preble's meadow jumping mouse is most active and reproducing.
    Local mammalogists believe that the Preble's meadow jumping mouse 
has never been common, but the apparent extirpation of this species 
from previously occupied habitats in Wyoming and Colorado and the 
difficulties finding it in apparently adequate habitats may be 
indicative of a precipitous decline in populations of the Preble's 
meadow jumping mouse (D. Armstrong, University of Colorado, pers. comm. 
1992) throughout its range. Current information indicates that Preble's 
meadow jumping mouse is restricted to only two known populations in 
Colorado and apparently none in Wyoming. It is unclear if two other 
populations in Colorado still exist. Known populations in Colorado are 
located at the Department of Energy's Rock Flats Plant in northern 
Jefferson County and adjacent City of Boulder Open Space land in 
southern Boulder County. A specimen tentatively identified as a 
Preble's meadow jumping mouse was captured in 1994 at the Air Force 
Academy in El Paso County (C. Pague, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, 
pers. comm. 1994).

Listing Factors

    The following are the five listing criteria as set forth in section 
4(a)(1) of the Act and regulations (50 CFR Part 424) promulgated to 
implement the listing provisions of the Act and their applicability to 
the current status of Preble's meadow jumping mouse.
    A. The present or threatened destruction, modification, or 
curtailment of its habitat or range. The main cause for Preble's meadow 
jumping mouse's decline is directly or indirectly linked to habitat 
alteration. The habitat alteration includes widespread destruction and/
or modification of wet meadows and riparian corridors and indirect 
hydrological impacts by anthropogenic structures, including--biking/
hiking trails; riprap and other bank stabilization structures and 
activities; road and bridge construction; urban, industrial, 
commercial, agricultural, and ranching development; and sand and gravel 
mining operations. Gravel mining operations continue to expand as 
housing and road construction activities increase, and these mines are 
located within wetlands, wet meadows, and riparian habitats.
    The Front Range region in Colorado has changed from a predominantly 
prairie habitat intermixed with wet meadows and intermittent streams 
and gulches to a more agricultural and urban setting with its 
associated housing, recreational, commercial, and industrial 
development. These developments have brought about profound changes in 
the hydrology of the streams along the Front Range. With urbanization 
has come the expansion of park areas and forestation. With park and 
open space development has come the expansion of hiking and biking 
trails along and crossing riparian habitats that have caused further 
fragmentation of this mouse's habitats.
    Grazing has been identified by some researchers as one of the 
leading causes for its decline (F. Harrington, pers. comm. 1994), but 
there is little scientific information to adequately show a 
relationship between moderate grazing and population declines of this 
mouse. Reservoir impoundments could also impact this mouse by 
inundating individuals and/or its habitats.
    B. Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or 
educational purposes. Preble's meadow jumping mouse has no known 
commercial or recreational value. Scientific and educational collecting 
was not widespread over the past century. Overutilization apparently 
did not contribute to population declines of this mouse population.
    C. Disease or predation. Knowledgeable mammalogists (D. Armstrong, 
pers. comm. 1994; F. Harrington, pers. comm. 1994) do not believe that 
an epizootic disease caused the demise of the subspecies. Competition 
from nonnative rodents (i.e., the Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus; and 
house mouse, Mus Musculus) and predation by domestic pets (dogs and 
cats) might also be reasons for this mouse's disappearance. Both of 
these nonnative rodents have been recently trapped during small mammal 
surveys from relatively undisturbed riparian habitats.
    D. The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms. Since 1990, 
the Colorado Division of Wildlife (Division) has classified Preble's 
meadow jumping mouse as a ``nongame'' subspecies and a ``species of 
special concern''. This designation protects the species by denying 
permits for the take of the species (J. Sheppard, Colorado Division of 
Wildlife, pers. comm. 1994). In 1992, the Wyoming Game and Fish 
Department (Department) classified the species Zapus hudsonius as a 
nongame species under the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Chapter LII. 
This designation protects the species from take and requires a special 
permit for the purposes of scientific collection. However, this 
designation does not protect the species from incidental taking or from 
actions that may harm the species in order to protect public health. 
Furthermore, protection by both States is limited to the mouse, itself, 
and measures to protect the habitat are not included.
    E. Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued 
existence. The introduction of nonnative grasses associated with the 
recent urbanization of Colorado's Front Range may also have contributed 
to the demise of Preble's jumping mouse by the replacement of 
indigenous grasses which this species is dependent upon. These 
introduced grasses have less nutritional food value (F. Harrington, 
pers. comm. 1994).
    The use of pesticides and herbicides have increased with the 
urbanization and agricultural development of the Front Range. These 
chemicals could be contaminating this mouse's food sources and could 
cause direct poisoning of the species, itself.

Finding

    The Service has reviewed the petition and accompanying 
documentation on the status of Preble's jumping mouse and information 
concerning potential threats to the species. On the basis of the best 
scientific and commercial information available, the Service 
[[Page 13952]] concludes that substantial information exists to 
indicate that the requested action may be warranted. The Service 
believes that habitat destruction and modification are the main cause 
for the species decline.
    The petitioner requested that the critical habitat also be 
designated. If the 12-month finding determines that the petitioned 
action to list Preble's jumping mouse is warranted, then the Act 
requires that designation of critical habitat be addressed in a 
subsequent proposed rule.
    The Service's 90-day finding contains more detailed information 
regarding the above decisions. A copy can be obtained from the 
Service's Colorado Field Office (see ADDRESSES above).

References Cited

Armstrong, D.M. 1972. Distribution of mammals in Colorado. 
University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History Monograph 3:1-415.
 Krutzsch, P.H. 1954. North American jumping mice (genus Zapus). 
Univ. Kansas Publ., Mus. Natural History 7:349-472.
Quimby, D.C. 1951. The life history and ecology of the jumping 
mouse, Zapus hudsonius. Ecological Monographs 21:61-95.
 Whitaker, J.O. 1972. Zapus hudsonius. Mammalian Species 11:1-7.

Author

    The primary author of this document is Jose Bernardo Garza (See 
ADDRESSES section).
Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

    Endangered and threatened Species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, and Transportation.

    Dated: February 27, 1995.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 95-6332 Filed 3-14-95; 8:45 am]
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