colorado wildlife brochure

Whiting Petroleum Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary

Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation

ColoradoEndangered & Threatened Species Protection GuideEnvironmental, Health and Safety

Spilled Oil Impacts Birds, Small Mammals, and Other Wildlife

All species information and photos provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) websites and the following websites:

• wildlife.state.co.us/Pages/Home.aspx• www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/regulations/Instruction_Memos_and_Bulletins/

national_instruction/2013/IM_2013-033.html• gallery.nanfa.org/main.php• ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/wildlifespx.asp?SpCode=010616• nas.er.usgs.gov/default.aspx

For more information regarding Colorado’s vegetation please visit:

• www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ufo/wildlife_and_vegetation.htmlwildlife_html

For more information about recommended management practices for reducing oil and gas impacts to wildlife please visit:

• www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/contaminants/oilpits.htm

DisclaimerThreatened, Endangered, and Candidate species list may change.

For more information please contact Kyla Livingston at [email protected]

Last Update: August 2015

Cleanup of all spilled oil is essential to prevent impact on wildlife.Prevent drips and spills.

Colorado: Guide to Endangered and Threatened Species Protection2

Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation Environmental, Health and Safety • www.Whiting.com 3

How to Avoid Sensitive Species Conflicts Minimize disturbance by:

• Keeping your vehicle on existing roads and project areas

• Only disturb vegetation or soil if necessary, after a pre-activity survey has been conducted, and ensure that habitat degradation will not occur

• Integrate habitat enhancement during the reclamation process

• Do not attract wildlife

• Do not leave food wrappers or scraps on ground

• Do not ever feed wildlife

• Keep open pits fenced or provide escape ramps

• Avoid injuring plants or animals by:

• Checking for wildlife under vehicles

• Obeying speed limits

• Do not hunt, kill, harm, or harass any wildlife at a work site

• Do not take, transport, possess, or sell any endangered, threatened, or candidate species of wildlife

• Do not damage or destroy an endangered plant

• Avoid damaging or removing vegetation

• ReportdeadorinjuredeaglestothelocalFish&Wildlifeoffice

• For more information visit: www.fws.gov/midwest/MidwestBird/eaglepermits/index.html

• Avoid wetland margins (the edge of wetland vegetation) by 110 yards. Doing so will likely alleviate many impacts associated with habitat disturbance, destruction, and degradation

• During road construction, culverts should be used to prevent damming or funneling of water that normally would reach a wetland basin

• During spring and summer, young animal encounters in urban areas, mountains and the plains are common. In all cases: Leave them alone! They may seem to be abandonedbutusuallythey’renotandtheyarebetteroffleftalone

• Ifyoufindadeaddoebythesideoftheroadwithanearbyfawn,rememberit is illegal to take it into your home. Call a licensed rehabilitator if you feel the need. For a list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators, visit www.agfc.com/species/Pages/SpeciesWildlifeRehabilitation.aspx

• Huntersandfishermanpleaseremembertopickupyourwastemonofilamentlines, empty shotgun shells, and brass


Boreal ToadBufo boreas boreas

Federal Status: Not Listed

State Status: Endangered

This toad has warty skin, oval parotoid glands, and often a distinctive mind-dorsal strip. This species has no vocal sac and therefore, no mating call.

Habitat: The Boreal Toad inhabits a variety of wet habitats, including marshes, wet meadows, stream, beaver ponds, glacial kettle ponds, and lakes interspersed in forest. The ideal habitat for a Boreal Toad is between 8,000 and 11,500 feet.

Burrowing OwlAthene cunicularia


State Status: Threatened

The Burrowing Owl is a small ground-dwelling diurnal owl with bright yellow eyes, long legs, and characteristic bobbing behavior when disturbed. Burrowing Owls range in length from 7-10 inches and have brownandbuffy-whitespottedfeatherswithabuffy-whiteeyebrows.

Habitat: Burrowing Owls prefer habitats within deserts, grasslands, and shrub-steppe. They utilize well-drained, level to gently sloping areas characterized by sparse vegetation and bare ground such as moderately or heavily grazed pasture. They prefer short grass for nesting but will forage over areas of tall vegetation.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS

Did you know?“Threatened” A species that is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.

“Endangered” A species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Greater Sage-GrouseCentrocercus urophasianus

Federal Status: Proposed Threatened

State Status: Special Concern

This Grouse is a large, chicken-like bird found in open sagebrush plains. They are grayish in color, with a black belly and long

tail with spiky feathers and yellow air sacs. Females are duller in color and blend in with the surrounding habitat. Males gather in leks to court females, typically in late February to April. Only a few dominant males breed and their mating behaviors are uniquely complex.

Habitat: Sage-Grouse are found only in areas where sagebrush is abundant at altitudes of 6,000-8,500 feet. For more information visit: www.cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/GreaterSagegrouseConservationPlan.aspx

BonytailGilia elegans

Federal Status: Endangered


The Bonytail is dark on top and light below. It can reach 24 inches in length, has a green-gray back with lighter sides, and a white belly. It is now the rarest of the endemicbig-riverfishesoftheColoradoRiver.

Habitat: Thisfishtypicallylivesinlarge,fast-flowing,waterwaysofthe Colorado River system. They prefer backwaters with rocky or muddy bottoms andflowingpools.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS



Black-Footed FerretMustela nigripes



The Black-Footed Ferret is of the weasel family. It is 18 – 22 inches long with a 4-6 inch tail. In color, they are

yellowish brown above, with a blackish wash on the back, black feet, face mask, and a black-tipped tail.

Habitat: Their habitat includes the eastern plains, mountain parks, the western valleys, grasslands and shrub lands that support some species of prairie dog, the ferret’s primary prey.

Whooping CraneGrus americana

Federal Status: Endangered | State Status: Endangered

The body and wing feathers are white except for the tips of the wings which are black. It has a large distinctive red patch of skin on the head and bill. They also have bright yellow eyes and thin black legs. It has a wing span of about 7 feet and can be up to 5 feet tall.

Habitat: Theyprimarilyresideinwetlands,marshes,mudflats,wetprairies,andfields.Theyareomnivoresandprimarilyfeedoncrustaceans,smallfish,insects,amphibians, and reptiles.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS


Suckermouth MinnowPhenacobius mirabilis



A slender minnow, the Suckermouth often has a darker-horizontal stripe running from the head to the end of the caudal peduncle. A conspicuous dark spot is located at the end of this lateral

stripe.Thefishisdarkerabovethisstripandwhitebelow.Adultsrangeinsizefrom 2 - 5 inches in length.

Habitat: TheSuckermouthMinnowisusuallyfoundinriffleareasofwarmprairiestreamsofallsizeswithlowtomoderatecurrentsandyear-roundflows.Thefishlivesontherifflebottomsinbothmid-channelandside-channelareas.

WolverineGulo gulo

Federal Status: Not listed


Adult males weigh 26 - 40 pounds and adult females weigh 17 - 26 pounds. It resembles a small bear with a bushy tail. It has a round, broad head; short, rounded ears, and small eyes. There are 5 toes on each foot, with curved and semi retractile claws used for digging and climbing.

Habitat: Wolverinesdonotappeartospecializeonspecificvegetationorgeological habitat aspects but instead select areas that are cold and receive enough winter precipitation to reliably maintain deep persistent snow late into the warm season. Deep, persistent, and reliable spring snow cover (April 15 - May 14) is the best overall predictor of wolverine occurrence.


Gunnison Sage-GrouseCentrocercus minimus

Federal Status: Proposed Endangered

State Status: Special Concern

These birds are about one-third smaller than the Greater Sage-Grouse, and males have more distinct, white barring on their tail feathers,longerandmoredensefiloplumes

on their necks. Female Gunnison and Greater Sage-Grouse have nearly the same plumage, but the female Gunnison is again, about one-third smaller than the Greater Sage-Grouse. Male Gunnison Sage-Grouse conduct an elaborate display when trying to attract females on breeding grounds, or leks in the spring.

Habitat: Gunnison Sage-Grouse require a variety of habitats such as large expanses of sagebrush with a diversity of grasses and forbs and healthy wetland and riparian ecosystems. It requires sagebrush for cover and fall and winter food. For more information visit: www.cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/ GunnisonSagegrouseConservationPlan.aspx.

Colorado PikeminnowPtychocheilus lucius



Thesefishhavebeenknowntoreach6feetinlengthand80poundsinweight.Adultfishmay be green-gray to bronze on their backs and silver to white along their sides and bottoms.Recoveryeffortsarefocusedonoperatingdamstocreatea naturalflowpatternandrestrictingstockingofnonnativefishtoreduce ecological interactions.

Habitat: They are currently found in the Green, Yampa, White, Colorado, Gunnison,SanJuan,andDoloresrivers.Theythriveinswiftflowingmuddyriverswith quiet, warm, backwaters.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS


Gray WolfCanis lupus



The Gray Wolf, being a keystone predator, is an integral component of the ecosystems to which it typically belongs. The wide range of habitats in whichwolvescanthrivereflectstheiradaptabilityasaspecies.

Habitat: Wolves can thrive in a diversity of habitats from the tundra to woodlands, forests, grasslands, and deserts. Historically, the range of the gray wolf covered over two-thirds of the United States.

Least TernSterna antillarum



The Least Tern is the smallest of the North American terns. With a length of approximately

9inchesandawingspanofabout20inchestheTernhasalightbuoyantflight,giving it the appearance of being very delicate on the wing.

Habitat: The preferred nesting habitat is on sandy or pebbly beaches, well above the water line, around lakes and reservoirs or on sandy soil sandbars in river channels.

Colorado Butterfly PlantGaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis

Federal Status: Threatened

TheColoradoButterflyPlantisamemberofthe evening primrose family and is a short-lived perennial herb with one to several reddish, pubescent stems that are 2–3 feet tall.

Habitat: It is a regional endemic restricted to Laramie and Platte counties in Wyoming,andLarimer,Jefferson,andWeldcountiesinColorado.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS


Southwestern Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii extimus



Adults have brown-olive upperparts and are darker on the wings and tail.

Habitat: They are found most frequently in riparian habitats, especially in areasofdensewillow.Theflycatcherisdifficulttodistinguishfromotherrelatedspecies, though its territorial song is distinctive.

Common ShinerLuxilus cornutus



This shiner is silver in color, with a darker olive-like color on its back and a dark stripdownitsdorsalfin.Theytypicallyreach2-4inchesinlength.

Habitat: Adultsinhabitrockypoolsnearrifflesinclear,coolcreeksandsmalltomedium rivers. They sometimes occur in lakes in northern part of range.

Ute Ladies’-TressesSpiranthes diluvials


The plant is a perennial, terrestrial orchid, with stems 8 - 20 inches tall arising from tuberously thickened roots. Its narrow, 0.39 inch leaves can reach 11 inches long. Basal leaves are the longest and become reduced insizeupthestem.Thefloweringstalkcanconsistoffewtomanysmallwhiteorivoryflowersclusteredintoaspikearrangementatthetopofthestem.

Habitat: Found in sub-irrigated alluvial soils along streams and open meadows infloodplainsatelevationsof4,500-6,800feet.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: NANFA

Grizzly BearUrsus arctos



The Grizzly Bear is the largest of North American terrestrial carnivores. Grizzly Bears are unmistakable because of their large size

(up to 7 feet long, and weighing 500 pounds or more). Their front claws are over 4 inches long.

Habitat: Color is mostly yellowish to reddish brown. Once they occurred throughout Colorado, and they apparently were fairly common in the western three-fifthsofthestateatleastuntiltheturnofthecentury.

Southern Redbelly DacePhoxinus erthrogaster



The Southern Redbelly Dace is typically about 2 inches in length with black stripes and a silver color in-between. The males have red or yellow stripes near their underbelly during breading seasons.

Habitat: This dace is often commonly found near the sources of springs. There is a small isolated population in Colorado.

The southern redbelly dace is an important environmental indicator of river and stream health as they prefer clean, unpolluted waters. They use their vision to findfood,soahabitatofclearwaterisnecessaryfortheirsurvival.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS

Did you know?The Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits a person from “taking” threatened and endangered species.

“Take” is defined as: to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.


River OtterLontra canadensis



As one of nature’s most social and playful creatures, the otter is a higher active member of the

weaselfamily.Theyhavebigappetitesandofteneatfish,frogs,andcrawfish.

Habitat: Otters are often found in ponds, streams, and lakes. They will establish burrows near water’s edge in rivers, streams, or lakes. The burrows have tunnels and often an exit into water.

Razorback SuckerXyrauchen tecaanus



The Razorback Sucker has a sharp-edged bulgeontheanteriorpartofitsbackbetweentheheadanddorsalfin.Thefishcan reach up to 3 feet and 6 pounds in size.

Habitat: Razorback Suckers inhabit a diversity of areas from mainstream channels to backwaters of medium and large stream or rivers. They prefer to live in mud, or gravel bottoms. Razorbacks feed on algae, insect larvae, plankton, and detritus.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS

DisclaimerThe species that are listed in this brochure are threatened, endangered, or a candidate species in the counties that Whiting operates in. Therefore, these species may or may not be threatened, endangered, or candidate species in other counties in Colorado or other states in the U.S.



Preble’s Meadow Jumping MouseZapus hudsoni-us preblei



They are stunning, yellowish-brown mice with purewhitebelliesandaprominentbuffstripeon the side. The animals are about 10 inches long, of which more than half is the thin, nearly naked tail.

Habitat: The Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse occurs in the mountains where the edge of the Great Plains meets the Rockies. Typical habitat is comprised of well-developed plains riparian vegetation with undisturbed grassland communities and a nearby water source.

The Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse’s diet changes seasonally and consists of insects, seeds, fungus, fruit and more.

Lesser Prairie-ChickenTympanuchus pallidicinctus



This bird is a medium-sized, grayish-brown grouse. Dark bands on upperparts are complex, including black and cinnamon tones; lightbandsonupperpartsrangefrombufftowhite.Upperpartsarethereforedarker and more richly colored than underparts. The chin and throat are largely unmarked, and the tail is short, rounded and brownish black. Tail short, rounded, and brownish black. Males display a bright yellow eye-comb above the eyes and dull red esophageal “air sacs” on the side of the neck during courtship.

Habitat: The Lesser Prairie-Chicken is listed as “threatened” in Colorado, with the population estimated at fewer than 500 breeding birds. The range of Lesser Prairie-Chickens in Colorado includes southern Baca County on the US Forest Service Comanche National Grasslands, both native rangeland and land enrolled in the conservation reserve program in eastern Prowers, Kiowa, and Cheyenne counties.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS


Kit FoxVulpes macrotis



The Kit Fox is a small mammal of the southwest desert weighing only 3-6 pounds. They closely resemble Swift Foxes, found on the eastern plains of Colorado, but have larger ears and a more angular appearance.

Habitat: They have long black-tipped bushy tails, dark muzzles, and a yellow-gray grizzled coat. They typically reach 3.5-5 pounds, making them about the size of a full-grown jackrabbit.

Greenback Cutthroat TroutOncorhynchus clarki stomias



GreenbackCutthroatTroutarecoldwaterfishbelongingtothetrout,salmonandwhitefishfamily.Theyhavedark,roundspotsonthesidesandtailandtwo colorful blood-red stripes on each side of the throat under the jaw, hence the name “cutthroat”. During the spring spawning season the entire belly may become crimson red.

Habitat: This species inhabits cold water streams and cold water lakes with adequate stream spawning habitat present during spring.

Lake ChubCouesius plumbeus



This Chub grows to about 4 inches long, its back is olive-brown or dark brown and the sides are silver. The snout is blunt and some breeding males have bright orangeatthebaseoftheirfins.

Habitat: The Lake Chub is commonly found in lakes but can also be found in rivers or streams. They prefer cool waters.

Photo

Cred

it: US

FWS

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS

Piping PloverCharadrius melodus circumcinctus



At about 7.25 inches in length, this plover is often described as being the color of dry beach sand or a pale gray-brown.

Habitat: Its nesting habitat in Colorado is on sandy lakeshore beaches, sandbars within riverbeds, or even sandy wetland pastures. An important aspect of this habitatissparsevegetation.ThePloverdependsonitscolorationforcamouflageand protection.

Humpback ChubGila cypha



The Humpback Chub is green to silver and white with an abrupt hump behind the head. They grow to about 18 inches in length.

Habitat: They can be found in deep, canyon-bound portions of the Colorado River system such as Black Rocks, Westwater Canyon, and the Yampa Canyon inside Dinosaur National Monument.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS

Did you Know?• There are 15 national forests within the state of Colorado, 42 state

parks, 4 national parks, 8 national monuments and 2 national grasslands.

• Abundant nesting and migrating birds and other native animals provide a “world-class” watchable wildlife experience. Bald eagles and other raptors, sand hill cranes, shore birds and water birds can be seen seasonally at San Luis Lakes near Alamosa. Colorado is second in the nation for variety of birds.

www.coloradodirectory.com/funfacts



LynxLynx canadensis



The Lynx is a large, bob-tailed cat. It is 3 feet long with a black-tipped tail that is only about one-eighth the total length and only about half the length of its huge, hind foot.

Habitat: The coat is grayish with obscure spots. The magnificenteartuftsmaybenearly as long as the actual ears. The Lynx is found in dense subalpine forests, willow-choked corridors along mountain streams and avalanche chutes; the home of its favored prey species, the snowshoe hare.

Success StoryFor reasons unknown, the Lynx is believed to have disappeared from Colorado by 1973 and then listed as endangered in 1976. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife began a reintroduction plan in 1999 by releasing 96 lynx from Alaska and Canada into Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. By 2006, Colorado’s lynx population had grown to over 200 and is on track to continue growing as strategies are put in place to monitor their occurrence, distribution, and activity.

www.fws.gov/endangered/map/ESA_success_stories/CO/ CO_story2

Arkansas DarterEtheostoma cragini

Federal Status: Candidate


The Arkansas Darter is a small, 2.5 inchfishnativetoportionsoftheArkansasRiverbasin.Itsupperbodyisbrown,anditsbackhasmanyfine,blackspecks. Its body has 12 -14 dusky stripes along the sides. Its belly is nearly white, except in breeding males in which it becomes bright orange.

Habitat: The Arkansas darter prefers shallow, clear, cool water, sand or silt bottom streams with spring-fed pools and abundant rooted aquatic vegetation.

Plains MinnowHybognathus placitus



The plains minnow is similar to the western silvery minnow, they are so similar the two can only be told apart after making a dissection and examining a certain bone in the head. The Plains minnow is partly herbivorous and has a long gut and black-lined body cavity. The maximum length of adults is 5 inches.

Habitat: Plains minnows prefer main channel areas with some current. Not much is known about this species. The minnow eats aquatic plants, probably algae, and likely spawns in the spring. More information regarding the distribution, abundance, and habitat requirements of this species in Colorado is required.

Photo Credit: NANFA

Photo Credit: USGS

Did you Know?Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is embarking on a Comprehensive Review of the State Wildlife Action Plan that was approved by the USFWS in 2006. The Review will be complete by September 2015.

www.cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/StateWildlifeActionPlan.aspx



Mexican Spotted OwlStrix occidentalis lucida



They have dark eyes and an ashy- chestnut brown color with white and brown spots on its abdomen, back, and head. Their brown tails are marked with thin white bands. They are exclusively nocturnal hunters and

eat wood rats, mice, voles, rabbits, gophers, bats, birds, reptiles, and arthropods.

Habitat: They can be found in forested mountains and canyons in southern Utah, Colorado, and mountains of Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas and even into the mountains of northern and central Mexico.

Rio Grande SuckerCatostomus plebius



Thisisastoutfishwithalargeheadandbroad snout. Adults are dusky to dark greenish brown dorsally and faded yellow or white on the belly. Breeding males are dark dorsally with a red lateral stripe and white bellies.

Habitat: Thisspeciesisfoundinareasnearrapidlyflowingwater.Duringtheday they stick to backwaters or banks that are adjacent to fast moving water as a holding area. These suckers move to swifter water at night. The Rio Grande Sucker feeds on diatoms, detritus, and aquatic invertebrates.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS


Plains Sharp-Tailed GrouseTympanuchus phasianellus jamesii



Adult birds have a shorter tail with two central, square-tipped feathers in the

center. Their plumage is mottled dark with light browns over white feathers. Their underparts are lighter with v-shaped markings on their bellies. The males have yellow combs over their eyes, purple neck patches, and yellow to orange colored air sacs.

Habitat: Occurs in gambel oak and other shrublands lacking conifers. Croplands and riparian areas are also used, especially in fall and winter. Leks are located in wet meadows, ridges and knolls, or recently burned areas.

North Park PhaceliaPhacelia formosula


Thepurpleuncoiling,floweringstemsofthe North Park Phacelia are members of the waterleaf family (Hydrophyllaceae). It is found in North Park of north central Colorado,nearthesmalltownofWalden.Thebrightpurpleflowersandlobedleaf margins make this species easy to spot in July and August. The plant is a biennial,survivingforoneyearasarosetteofleavesbeforefloweringanddyingthe following year.

Habitat: The plant grows and thrives on barren exposures of the Coalmont Formation that are easily eroded, poorly vegetated, steep-sided ravines, low sandyhillsandbluffsinelevationsof8,000-8,500feet.

Photo Credit: USFWS

Photo Credit: USFWS


What You Can DoAs a Whiting employee, contractor, or visitor, you are responsible for protecting wildlife and the environment. Your participation is essential. Each employee, contractor, and visitor should be familiar with the measures that are listed below:

• Learn to identify potentially sensitive habitats

• Understand what species inhabit your area, the habitat types and where they occur

• Keep your vehicle on existing roads and observe the posted speed limit

• Remove food and solid wastes from project sites

• NofirearmsarepermittedonWhitingpropertyorincompanyvehicles (Whiting Policy)

• Clean up oil and chemical spills

• Keep well cellars covered and drained to protect wildlife

• Use belt guards, screens, lids, or netting to protect wildlife from moving equipment and tanks

• All containers and vent stacks must be closed, netted, or screened

• Never purchase products made from threatened or endangered species

• Respect the lease owner’s property

• Coordinate drilling activities to minimize impacts to wildlife during migration and breeding seasons

• Useclosedcontainmentsystemstocollectoilfieldproducedwater

For more information visit: www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/regulations/Instruction_Memos_and_Bulletins/national_instruction/2013/IM_2013-033.html

Whiting Oil and Gas CorporationEnvironmental, Health and Safety1700 BroadwaySuite 2300Denver, CO 80290www.Whiting.com

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