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DENVER (AP) — Biologists are surveying the foothills of Colorado's Rocky Mountains for a threatened species of mouse that's emerged as a source of frustration for ranchers and the real estate industry.
The Denver Post reported Sunday (http://dpo.st/2upJmP0 ) that a recent search turned up no Preble's meadow jumping mice at the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside of Denver.
Similar efforts will continue through the summer.
Even though they are shielded by law, Preble's mice have declined across a range that extends from Wyoming to Colorado springs.
The Colorado Association of Home Builders, Colorado Cattlemen'sAssociation, and Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs recently asked the federal government to lift protections for the species.
The groups say that saving streamside habitat for mice is hurting their business.
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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
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