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Bait stations that the City of San Diego uses to reduce squirrel population prompts some concern

The City of San Diego says the Parks and Recreation Department partners with a company to provide pest control for squirrels and other rodents.

SAN DIEGO — Bryan Reshehske was walking along Shell Beach near La Jolla Cove when he noticed what he calls poisonous bait stations that he says are used to kill squirrels. 

"I was alarmed when I found that out this is not a humane release situation," said Resheske. 

He says the burrows the squirrels build are being blamed for the cliff’s erosion.

"In my opinion, it’s a knee-jerk reaction that puts a band-aid on it and they need to look at the geology of the area," said Resheske. 

The City says the Parks and Recreation Department partners with a company to provide pest control for squirrels and other rodents.

"I feel really bad seeing the squirrels suffer. I saw one with its eyes drooping. This has no place in La Jolla Cove. This should be pristine ecological preserve," said Resheske. 

Resheshke worries it could also be harmful to the ecosystem.

"The owls, house pets, and other animals can subsequently get poisoned," he says.

However, other La Jollans, like Kenneth Walsh, say the City should control the squirrel population.

"It seems like one person has come along and said, 'I'm the guardian of the environment and I see this happening.' Really the person who created this controversy is one person who says, 'oh poison is bad!' We have to stop that. I think the city has some rights too. I think the city can stand on its right to control pests. We use poisonous traps for other animals like rats. Poison is never good, but you have to balance the good of the pest versus the good of society. It is true a squirrel can get poisoned and another animal can eat it, I think that’s a low price to pay to control the animals," said Walsh.

Benny Cartwright, the City of San Diego’s spokesperson for the Parks and Recreation department sent CBS 8 this statement:

The Parks & Recreation Department has a contract in place to provide ground squirrel, rodent and pest control management services at its shoreline parks. Ground squirrels, in particular, are often a very invasive species that burrow into fragile bluffs causing destabilization and erosion. To mitigate this risk, the Department relies on a certified vendor to identify areas of overpopulation and to perform the necessary abatement services as needed.

All city staff that perform grounds maintenance activities are trained in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which is a strategy that focuses on the long-term management of the equilibrium in our environment. This includes a combination of techniques such as education, exclusion, habitat modification, and when population numbers require it, eradication. In California, ground squirrels in park areas can wreak havoc on natural habitat and park facilities. As members of the rodent family, they can contain vector diseases, and hamper or halt the establishment of plant material. Chemical management practices are used when other options have been exhausted.

The City chooses qualified contractors to maintain healthy population numbers. Vendors use chemicals approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Act that have been reported safe to use in California. The Parks and Recreation Department is constantly being monitored by both the Department of Pesticide Regulation and the County Agriculture Department to ensure compliance with the proper use of each chemical.

Watch Related: Neighbors concerned about cliff collapse in Pacific Beach (Jan 20, 2023)

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