Gila National Forest Travel Management Project Final Environmental Impact Statement Final Wildlife Report and Biological Evaluation Prepared by: Arthur Telles, Jr. - Forest Biologist Rene Guaderrama - District Wildlife Biologist Justin Schofer – District Wildlife Biologist Brian Parks – GIS Specialist for: Gila National Forest December 2013 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) Wildlife Report and Biological Evaluation Gila National Forest Travel Management Project Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Assumptions ............................................................................................................................ 1 Relevant Laws, Regulations, and Policy ................................................................................. 1 Alternatives and Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................ 3 Affected Environment ................................................................................................................. 5 Existing Condition ................................................................................................................... 5 Species Considered .................................................................................................................. 8 Analysis Process ....................................................................................................................... 13 Motorized Use Effects on Terrestrial Wildlife ...................................................................... 13 Mortality from collision with vehicles .................................................................................. 14 Modification of animal behavior ........................................................................................... 14 Alteration of terrestrial wildlife habitat ................................................................................. 15 Increased contact and exploitation by humans ...................................................................... 15 Analysis Factors .................................................................................................................... 16 Analysis Questions ................................................................................................................ 18 Proposed Plan Amendments .................................................................................................. 21 Environmental Consequences ................................................................................................... 23 Ungulates ............................................................................................................................... 23 Wildlife Cumulative Affects ............................................................................................... 161 Present and Future Activities ............................................................................................... 166 Wildlife Literature Cited ......................................................................................................... 179 Wildlife Bibliography .......................................................................................................... 196 Appendix A. Gila National Forest Neotropical Migratory Birds by Habitat Type ................. 199 Desert Migratory Birds ........................................................................................................ 199 Spruce-Fir Migratory Birds ................................................................................................. 200 Mountain Grassland Migratory Birds .................................................................................. 200 Oak Woodland Migratory Birds .......................................................................................... 201 Oak-Juniper Migratory Birds .............................................................................................. 202 Piñon Juniper Migratory Birds ............................................................................................ 203 Ponderosa Pine Migratory Bird ........................................................................................... 204 Coniferous Riparian Migratory Birds .................................................................................. 205 Deciduous Riparian Migratory Birds .................................................................................. 206 Marsh/Open Water Migratory Birds.................................................................................... 208 Tables Table 1: Summary of the alternatives .............................................................................................. 4 Table 2: Primary vegetation types on the Gila National Forest ...................................................... 6 Table 3: Federally listed species (endangered, threatened, and experimental) for Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, and Sierra County, New Mexico (accessed December 17, 2012)............................. 8 Table 4: Forest Service Southwestern Region Sensitive Species and Federal candidates ............ 10 Table 5: 2007 New Mexico Partners in Flight High Priority Migratory Bird Species by Vegetation Type ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Table 6: Management indicator species by vegetation type .......................................................... 12 Table 7: Species identified through scoping.................................................................................. 13 Table 8: Responses of wildlife to various disturbance factors ...................................................... 17 Table 9: Wildlife and fish standards and guidelines...................................................................... 19 i Wildlife Report and Biological Evaluation Gila National Forest Travel Management Project Table 10: Land management plan amendments 1 through 6 that would be implemented in all action alternatives .................................................................................................................. 21 Table 11: Proposed Forest Plan Amendment No. 7 for all action alternatives .............................. 22 Table 12: Ungulate species selected to be analyzed and rationale for selection ........................... 23 Table 13: Ungulate avoidance/displacement distances by activity ............................................... 24 Table 14: Summary of potential motorized route affects, analysis factors, and analysis indicators for ungulate species ............................................................................................................... 26 Table 15: Summary of the harvest indicator, disturbance zone, and analysis area that is used to analyze the effects of the different alternatives to ungulates ................................................. 26 Table 16: Elk Analysis Area - Existing Condition and Proposed Changes by Alternative ........... 27 Table 17: Pronghorn Analysis Area - Existing Condition and Proposed Changes by Alternative 28 Table 18: Analysis Area-Existing Condition and Proposed Changes by Alternative ................... 30 Table 19. Bighorn sheep Forest Service sensitive species determination by alternative .............. 31 Table 20: Mule deer analysis area - existing condition and proposed changes by alternative ...... 31 Table 21: Mule deer Gila National Forest management indicator species determination by alternative .............................................................................................................................. 32 Table 22: Wide-ranging carnivores - species selected to be analyzed and rationale for selection 33 Table 23: Summary of potential motorized route affects, analysis factors, and analysis indicators ............................................................................................................................................... 35 Table 24: Summary of the harvest indicator, disturbance indicator, and analysis area that is used to analyze the effects of the different alternatives to wide ranging carnivores ..................... 35 Table 25: Analysis Area - existing condition and proposed changes by alternative (difference in miles per square mile from alternative B) ............................................................................. 35 Table 26: Mexican gray wolf – summary of effects by alternative ............................................... 42 Table 27: Mexican gray wolf federally listed species determination by alternative ..................... 43 Table 28: Black Bear Analysis Area - Existing Condition and Proposed Change by Alternative 44 Table 29: Mountain Lion Analysis Area - Existing Condition and Proposed Change by