the densest populations of badgers in the world (up to 11 badgers per square mile). Recurring wildfires and military training exercises at Snake River have altered the prey base for the raptor population that the NCA was established to protect. As a result, the raptor population is currently at risk. A Bureau of Land Management (BLM) study documents that nesting prairie falcons in the NCA have declined from a historical 230 pairs to an estimated 110 pairs today. Crater Rings are adjacent, symmetrical volcanic pit craters and a National Natural Landmark located in the Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. History In addition to its precious natural resources, Snake River Birds of Prey NCA has significant cultural value. Human occupation of the Snake River area has been dated to 10,000 BC. Shortly after the Bonneville Flood deposited large rounded boulders in the canyon, early inhabitants were using them as canvases for carving petroglyphs. Some of the oldest and most remarkable Native American Archeological sites in Idaho have been found within the NCA. The NCA also contains some of the best-preserved portions of the Oregon National Historic Trail and three sites from an 1860s gold mining settlement that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Congress designated the NCA on August 4, 1993, following two decades of research indicating the need to protect prey habitat and hunting territory as well as nesting habitat. The expressed purpose of the NCA, according to the United States Congress, is "to provide for the conservation, protection, and enhancement of raptor populations and habitats...." Currently, the BLM allows ranching, power generation and Army National Guard training to continue within the boundaries of the NCA. References External links Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area - BLM Protected areas of Ada County, Idaho Protected areas of Canyon County, Idaho Protected areas of Elmore County, Idaho Protected areas of Owyhee County, Idaho National Conservation Areas of the United States Protected areas of Idaho Protected areas established in 1993 Bureau of Land Management areas in Idaho Units of the National Landscape Conservation System 1993 establishments in Idaho