Common use of NATURAL HISTORY Clause in Contracts

NATURAL HISTORY. ‌ The xxxxxx is one of the larger members of the weasel family (Mustelidae) and occurs exclusively in the boreal and temperate forests of North America. It is dark brown in coloration, and has a long tail, short rounded ears, short legs, and a low-to-the-ground appearance. Females are substantially smaller than males and typically weigh 2.0 to 3.0 kg (4.4-6.6 lb) and measure 70 to 95 cm (28-37 in) in total length, whereas males typically weigh 3.5 to 5.5 kg (7.7-12.1 lb) and measure 90-120 cm (36-47 in) total length (Xxxxxx 1993, Xxxxxxx et al. 2010). The mating season for fishers occurs from late March to early May, when males leave established home ranges to search for reproductive females. Pregnant females can give birth to 1-4 kits from late March to early May and typically mate with a male within 10 days after giving birth. Females exhibit delayed implantation of fertilized eggs, where the development of fertilized eggs is suspended until the start of a 32-day gestation period that can begin as soon as February or as late as April. Birthing dens are always in cavities in live trees or snags (Xxxxx et al. 2012); however, females may subsequently move kits to other den structures including cavities in snags or down logs, or to log piles or ground xxxxxxx. Females are responsible for raising kits and they nurse kits until they are approximately 10-weeks old (~ late May). At about 4 months of age (~ late July), kits are more mobile and can travel with their mother. At around 7 months of age (~late October), kits are likely to be independent of their mother but are likely to occupy their mother’s home range until they disperse at about 10 months of age (~ late January). With the exception of breeding males during the breeding season (March to May), fishers typically occupy a home range. Xxxxxx home ranges are large in comparison to other mid-sized carnivores and are dominated by forested habitats. Females commonly use smaller home ranges than males (Lofroth et al. 2010). Mean home range sizes of reintroduced fishers on the Olympic Peninsula were 63.5 km2 (95% CI = 45.8-81.1) for females and 128.3 km2 (95% CI = 49.9-238.7) for males (Xxxxx 2014). Females are considered adults when they are 1-year-olds because a substantial percentage of these females can become pregnant near their first birthday. Consequently, females can give birth to their first litter at the age of 2. Not all adult females give birth to kits each year. Males are considered adults once they reach 2 years of age, when many males have matured enough to become effective breeders. The average lifespan of fishers is unknown for populations that are not trapped; however, the longevity of a wild xxxxxx is not expected to greatly exceed 10 years of age (Xxxxxx 1993). In resident populations, survival rates tend to be greatest for adult females (reported rates from 0.65 to 0.90) and lower for adult males (0.45-0.89) and juveniles (0.27-0.84), however survival rates tend to be lower where fishers are trapped (Xxxxx 2014). Conversely, annual survival rates were highest for juvenile males (0.61-0.94), lower for adult males (0.50-0.91) and juvenile females (0.40-0.89) and lowest for adult females (0.28-0.84) in the population of fishers reintroduced to Olympic National Park (Xxxxx 2014). Trapping, predation, vehicle collisions, poisoning, exposure, emaciation/starvation, infections, drowning, fighting among males, accidents, and disease are sources of mortality reported for fishers (Xxxxxx 1993, Xxxxxxx et al. 2010). In harvested populations, trapping is typically the greatest source of known mortality. Predation and vehicle collisions were the leading causes of mortalities of fishers reintroduced to Olympic National Park (Xxxxx 2014). Predators of fishers include bobcats (Lynx xxxxx), mountain lions (Puma concolor), coyotes (Canis latrans), lynx (Lynx canadensis), domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), and wolverines (Gulo gulo) (Xxxxxx 1993, Xxxxxxx et al. 2010).

NATURAL HISTORY. ‌ The xxxxxx is one of the larger members of the weasel family (Mustelidae) and occurs exclusively in the boreal and temperate forests of North America. It is dark brown in coloration, and has a long tail, short rounded ears, short legs, and a low-to-the-ground appearance. Females are substantially smaller than males and typically weigh 2.0 to 3.0 kg (4.4-6.6 lb) and measure 70 to 95 cm (28-37 in) in total length, whereas males typically weigh 3.5 to 5.5 kg (7.7-12.1 lb) and measure 90-120 cm (36-47 in) total length (Xxxxxx 1993, Xxxxxxx et al. 2010). The mating season for fishers occurs from late March to early May, when males leave established home ranges to search for reproductive females. Pregnant females can give birth to 1-4 kits from late March to early May and typically mate with a male within 10 days after giving birth. Females exhibit delayed implantation of fertilized eggs, where the development of fertilized eggs is suspended until the start of a 32-day gestation period that can begin as soon as February or as late as April. Birthing dens are always in cavities in live trees or snags (Xxxxx et al. 2012); however, females may subsequently move kits to other den structures including cavities in snags or down logs, or to log piles or ground xxxxxxx. Females are responsible for raising kits and they nurse kits until they are approximately 10-weeks old (~ late May). At about 4 months of age (~ late July), kits are more mobile and can travel with their mother. At around 7 months of age (~late October), kits are likely to be independent of their mother but are likely to occupy their mother’s home range until they disperse at about 10 months of age (~ late January). With the exception of breeding males during the breeding season (March to May), fishers typically occupy a home range. Xxxxxx home ranges are large in comparison to other mid-sized carnivores and are dominated by forested habitats. Females commonly use smaller home ranges than males (Lofroth et al. 2010). Mean home range sizes of reintroduced fishers on the Olympic Peninsula were 63.5 km2 (95% CI = 45.8-81.1) for females and 128.3 km2 (95% CI = 49.9-238.7) for males (Xxxxx 2014). Females are considered adults when they are 1-year-olds because a substantial percentage of these females can become pregnant near their first birthday. Consequently, females can give birth to their first litter at the age of 2. Not all adult females give birth to kits each year. Males are considered adults once they reach 2 years of age, when many males have matured enough to become effective breeders. The average lifespan of fishers is unknown for populations that are not trapped; however, however the longevity of a wild xxxxxx is not expected to greatly exceed 10 years of age (Xxxxxx 1993). In resident populations, survival rates tend to be greatest for adult females (reported rates from 0.65 to 0.90) and lower for adult males (0.45-0.89) and juveniles (0.27-0.84), however survival rates tend to be lower where fishers are trapped (Xxxxx 2014). Conversely, annual survival rates were highest for juvenile males (0.61-0.94), lower for adult males (0.50-0.91) and juvenile females (0.40-0.89) and lowest for adult females (0.28-0.84) in the population of fishers reintroduced to Olympic National Park (Xxxxx 2014). Trapping, predation, vehicle collisions, poisoning, exposure, emaciation/starvation, infections, drowning, fighting among males, accidents, and disease are sources of mortality reported for fishers (Xxxxxx 1993, Xxxxxxx et al. 2010). In harvested populations, trapping is typically the greatest source of known mortality. Predation and vehicle collisions were the leading causes of mortalities of fishers reintroduced to Olympic National Park (Xxxxx 2014). Predators of fishers include bobcats (Lynx xxxxx), mountain lions (Puma concolor), coyotes (Canis latrans), lynx (Lynx canadensis), domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), and wolverines (Gulo gulo) (Xxxxxx 1993, Xxxxxxx et al. 2010).