Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse Protection Creates Controversy On Front Range (PHOTOS)

The Fish and Wildlife Service proposed on Wednesday to nearly double the size of the protected habitat of the Preble's meadow jumping mouse, an endangered rodent that eats bugs and-as its name suggests-can leap several feet into the air to avoid predators.

The decision is being challenged by developers who that claim the new protected area will stifle economic development.

From the Denver Post:

Meanwhile, the Mountain States Legal Foundation, which already is challenging the Fish and Wildlife Service for its original designation of mouse habitat, is preparing to broaden its lawsuit to encompass the newly proposed land, staff attorney Ron Opsahl said. "The overall impact is going to be pretty big," Opsahl said, estimating economic costs could top $80 million.

See a slideshow of Colorado's endangered animals below:

• • • • • • • • The lynx seems to be the poster child for endangered species in Colorado. By 1973 the species all but disappeared from the state, but in 2005, more than 200 lynx were reintroduced in the San Juan Mountains and since, the population has begun to expand throughout the high country. The success of lynx reintroduction has left wildlife officials to consider reintroducing other species.

Comments

[surfcitysteven]

I worked at the National Wind Test Site south of Boulder for a few years. On my first day on the job, I was told to go out to the "boneyard" where all the old wind turbine parts lay around along with boards, plywood and other junk. I will never forget when I first met the Preble Meadow jumping mouse as they greeted me en masse when I lifted up a big piece of plywood. Jumping mice bouncing into you. The kind of stuff nightmares are made of. I think all the guys at the site where watching from the window. "Hey Bob! Come here! Check out the new guy, he's about to lift up a plywood! Wait for it, wait...Bwaahhahahahaha!"

[pakaal]

"developers...claim the new protected area will stifle economic development."

Duh! Anything that's "undeveloped" is not going to lend itself to economic development. If we took developers' concerns and ran with them, there would be no protected land anywhere, and instead everything would be developed. And doesn't the idea of paving over all our protected lands and building lots of strip malls sound wonderful? Who needs wildlife and plants anyway?

[retrobeck]

"The decision is being challenged by developers who that claim the new protected area will stifle economic development."


Right, because we don't currently have enough empty buildings in various stages of completion thanks to the economic downturn. We need more sprawl, for sure.

[saami]

Where is Colorado going to get the water for more development. Three cheers for the Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse. Get real people, you don't have the water.

[VeroucaSalt]

Denver has been overbuilt over the past couple of decades. 'Doze the old, decrepit neighborhoods & rebuild. Leave the animals their habitat.

[yearlin]

Mice are of the devil. let them go...lol. no seriously, they are.

[kareemachan]

Whatever.