3.2.3 Wildlife 



3.2.3.1 Endangered Species 



3.2.3.1.1 Grizzly Bears (Federally threatened) 



Grizzly bears are the largest terrestrial predators in North America, 

 feasting upon deer, rodents, fish, roots and berries, as well as a wide 

 assortment of vegetation (Hewitt and Robbins 1996). Depending upon 

 climate, abundance of food, and cover distribution, home ranges for male 

 grizzly bears in northwest Montana can range from 60 - 500 mi" (Waller 

 and Mace 1997). The search for food drives grizzly bear movement, with 

 bears moving from low elevations in spring to higher elevations in fall, as 

 fruits ripen throughout the year. However, in their pursuit of food, grizzly 

 bears can be negatively impacted through open roads (Kasworm and 

 Manley 1990). Such impacts are manifested through habitat avoidance, 

 poaching, and vehicle collisions. 



The project area is approximately 13 miles SE of the Northern Continental 

 Divide Ecosystem grizzly bear recovery area. The Dirty Ike and Donovan 

 drainages, surrounding the project area, have not had grizzly bear activity 

 in recent years (J. Jonkel, MT FVVP, personal communication, September 

 2003). The nearest known grizzly bear activity is located approximately 

 14 miles east of the affected area. Although no known activity has been 

 reported for the affected area, future use of the area by grizzly bears is 

 possible. 



Grizzly bears are known to be more vulnerable to human interaction in 

 areas with high open road densities or ineffective road closures. Currently 

 there are 2.59 miles of open road per square mile (simple linear 

 calculation; 296 miles of open road), and 4.67 total miles of road per 

 square mile (533 miles of road), within a 1 14 square mile (73,092 acres) 

 grizzly bear analysis area (Appendix C: Figure C-3). With construction of 

 approximately 1.5 miles of new road under the Dirty Ike Road project, 

 open road density would not increase, but total road density would 

 increase to 4.68 miles per square mile. Presently, the road closure device 

 located in section 2, T 12 N R 17 W, is ineffective against ATV's during 

 the hunting season (M. McGrath, DNRC, personal observation). 



3.2.3.1.2 Gray Wolves (Federally threatened) 



Wolves were recently classified as threatened in Montana under the 

 Endangered Species Act. Cover, and road and prey densities likely have 

 some influence on wolves. Currently, there are approximately 2.59 miles 

 of open road per square mile (simple linear calculation) within a 114 

 square mile area surrounding the project area (Fig. 1). Wolf activity in the 

 area is restricted to the Potomac pack, located approximately 6 miles east 

 of the project area, near Potomac, MT (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 



Dirty Ike Salvage Environmental Assessment 3-16 



