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Mr. Velarde. Located along the continental divide in Northwest- 

 em New Mexico, the Jicarilla Apache Reservation enjoys a richness 

 of wildlife that would be regarded as a national treasure if it were 

 located in a national park or a national forest. 



Because this treasure is located on Indian land, however, no one 

 but us seems to feel any responsibility to protect it. 



The Jicarilla Apache Tribe takes this responsibility very seri- 

 ously. 



Our culture and religion are tied very closely to the natural 

 world, and much of the wildlife in our region plays an important 

 part in our ceremonial life. 



For more than 30 years, our tribe has been spending more than 

 half a million dollars per year for enhancement and management 

 of fish and wildlife resources on our reservation. 



We have a resident population of more than 3,000 elk and 3,500 

 mule deer. Another 2,000 elk and 5,000 mule deer migrate into our 

 reservation fi-om higher elevations during the winter season. 



More Boone and Crockett mule deer have been taken fi*om the 

 Jicarilla Apache Reservation since 1960 than from any comparable 

 area of North America. 



Elk and mule deer support a residential population of 60 to 75 

 mountain lions throughout the reservation. 



An estimated 150 black bears reside year round on the reserva- 

 tion. Wild turkeys are prospering on the reservation and may num- 

 ber 750 birds. 



The most extensive complex of woodlands in Northern New Mex- 

 ico is located on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Sinking Lake, 

 the largest natural lake in New Mexico is within the reservation 

 and is a unique breeding site for residential waterfowl as well as 

 significant resting sites along the Pacific flyway. Counts of ten 

 thousand to fift;een thousand water birds are not uncommon. 



At least two active peregrine falcon nests can be found on the 

 reservation. Small numbers of Mexican spotted owl have been re- 

 ported on the Jicarilla reservation. 



Golden eagles' nests on the reservation, and both golden and bald 

 eagles spend winter months on the reservation. Counts of 50 to 75 

 eagles each winter are common. 



The Tribe's staff of 23 people for a reservation of some 850,000 

 acres is almost three times as many people as the State of New 

 Mexico devote to an area ten times the size of the reservation for 

 fish and game management. 



In 1987, after examining and cross-examining the Tribe's Game 

 and Fish Department personnel in discovery proceedings, the State 

 of New Mexico conceded that the Tribe has a far more intensive 

 wildlife management program for the reservation than any other 

 state has to offer. 



The Tribe was instrumental, in 1989, to estabUsh the San Juan 

 Interstate Wildlife Working Group, composed of wildlife biologists 

 fi-om state, tribal and federal wildHfe management agencies along 

 the Colorado-New Mexico border. 



In short, the Jicarilla Apache Tribe has taken a leadership role 

 in game and fish management for a significant portion of the Rocky 

 Mountain region for both New Mexico and Colorado, but has re- 



