Endangered Species status of Preble's jumping mouse to be reviewed

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will review the Endangered Species status for the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse.

The presence of the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse has been an environmental issue in construction projects along the Front Range for more than a decade. In August 2011, the endangered rodent caused a delay in the progress of the city of Greeley’s 30-mile pipeline project from its Bellvue treatment plant.

Following the status review and before June 1, the service will prepare a 12-month finding on two 2003 petitions, filed by the Governor’s Office of the state of Wyoming and Coloradans for Water Conservation and Development, seeking to remove the Preble’s from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

Preble’s was first added to the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in 1998 as a threatened species.

Additional information is available on the Federal Register announcement initiating the status review. A copy of the announcement and other information regarding the Preble’s is available at www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/preble, or by contacting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado Field Office, at (303) 236-4773.