How does the contaminated soil affect the animals at the refuge?
1. Deer and prairie dogs are the most commonly seen animals at the refuge. 2. There are approximately 800 mule deer and white-tailed deer. 3. Deer shed their antlers once a year, in the spring. 4. The eagles winter at the refuge in October and usually leave sometime in March. 5. Eagles feed on the fish and prairie dogs at the refuge. 6. The most common birds seen here year-round are • magpie • great horned owl • belted kingfisher • robin • canada goose • mallards. For a listing of birds commonly seen on the refuge clichere. 7. There is minimal effect on the mammals at the arsenal. The major effect is on the birds that injest contaminated soil or food. The contamination over-stimulates the bird’s nervous system How much injested contamination determines whether the bird survives.
