Wildlife Specialist report
Wildlife Specialist report
Wildlife Specialist report
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Bighorn Sheep (Forest Service Sensitive Species)<br />
Table 15: Bighorn Sheep Analysis Area - Existing Condition and Proposed Change<br />
Table by Alternative:<br />
Total NMGF Core Bighorn<br />
Habitat on USFS = 68,737 Acres<br />
Motorized Routes<br />
Existing<br />
Effects Change in Effects<br />
Alt B<br />
(No<br />
Action) Alt C Alt D Alt E Alt F Alt G<br />
Open Existing ML 2 - ML 5 Miles 34 -3 -15 -23 -5 -13<br />
Acres 5,734 -515 -2,282 -3,387 -956 -2,089<br />
Administrative Route Miles 0 4 5 5 5 5<br />
Acres 0 750 941 941 916 916<br />
Add Unauthorized Route Miles 0 0 0 0 0 0<br />
Motorized Trails<br />
Acres 0 33 146 0 33 146<br />
0 0 0 0 0 0<br />
Total FS Routes and Trails Miles 34 35/+1 24/-10 16/-18 33/-1 26/-8<br />
Percent in Miles of Alt. B (Existing) %Miles<br />
3.41% -27.16% -51.34% -0.29% -21.80%<br />
Motorized Dispersed Camping Acres 46,160 -44,615 -45,676 -46,160 -45,262 -45,700<br />
Percent in Acres of Alt. B (Existing) %Acres<br />
-96.65% -98.95% -100.00% -98.05% -99.00%<br />
Motorized Areas Acres 0 NC NC NC NC NC<br />
Motorized Big Game Retrieval Acres 46,160 -8,712 -45,676 -46,160 -23,094 -45,700<br />
Percent in Acres of Alt. B (Existing) %Acres<br />
-18.87% -98.95% -100.00% -50.03% -99.00%<br />
No Action Alternative (Alt. B): ): Under this alternative there are 34 miles of<br />
motorized routes in bighorn sheep habitat, which continues to cause habitat loss and the<br />
potential for other types of direct effects to this species. The potential for collision loss<br />
does exist on Forest Service motorized routes; however, lower traffic rates and travel<br />
speeds on forest routes reduce this potential. Increases in road densities increases the<br />
potential for take associated with poaching. The potential disturbance zone (5,734 acres)<br />
along motorized routes in this analysis area continues to cause the potential for indirect<br />
effects. Papouchis et al. (2001) <strong>report</strong>ed that their findings were consistent with other<br />
research that roads cause a zone of influence larger than the road itself. In high use areas<br />
some sheep do habituate to road traffic but more typically the closer to a road the more<br />
likely sheep will flee. Increases in the level of use on these routes through time would<br />
increase the potential for direct and indirect effects.<br />
Under this alternative you continue to have motorized cross country travel, dispersed<br />
camping, and big game retrieval allowed across the Gila National Forest. These three<br />
types of uses continue to have potential effects to bighorn sheep. Additionally, these<br />
three types of uses perpetuate the development of additional roads and motorized trails;<br />
potentially allowing for the development of greater road densities. So under this<br />
alternative through time the potential for the direct loss of individuals and habitat would<br />
increase, as would the potential for disturbance effects to the species and habitat.<br />
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