Gophercide - The Demise of The Richardson Ground Squirrel

From the "Best of..." Files

(This is from 2009.  About the lovable gopher... Go Gainer?)

Today I heard something disturbing.  Whilst I was on vacation last week, the Wascana Centre Authority "eliminated" some of the gopher population.  They blew gas into their tunnels.  Today they were filling the holes.  Gophercide is in progress.

Richardson Ground Squirrel is the proper name for the common Saskatchewan gopher.  The gopher is known to be a pest.  They eat the wheat, barley, oats and rye........... and weeds and grass and roadkills and grasshoppers and even carcases of their brethren (oops, we're not supposed to think about the good things. - wipe it from your brain.)  They make big holes in the ground that can cause people to trip or fall.   Horses and cattle can break their legs.  In urban areas, they will bore holes in sports areas and parks.  They've even been known to dig holes in cemeteries... how dare they!  No respect I tells ya.  Oddly, no complaints from the graveyard residents so I don't see the problem, but I digress.

So gophers are little devils, aren't they.  Just look at them. So cute as they race around the fields chasing each other.  They remind me of my three kitties who wrestle each other down to gain control of the feather-bell-ball thing.  I could sit and watch gophers all day. To me, they are adorable.  I experience a great deal of peace and relaxation, along with a couple laughs, while I watch them play.  After plenty of conversations I've had, I'm starting to think I'm alone... a lonely gopher watcher.

But alas, these little buggers are useless!  They just run around eating seeds, burrowing holes and pooping all day.  So, then... why did the good Lord bless us with these little gifts?  There must be a purpose.

Oh wait!!!!  

There is... but I'm sure it's not that big of a deal.  Who needs a water table anyway?  Water tables are highly over-rated.  Please sense the sarcasm here.

That purpose again? 

Hmmm let's see.  That dang gopher! 

It burrows holes and digs tunnels.  In essence, it is aerating the ground.  That's right, the same thing that you pay gardeners to do to your lawn, the mighty gopher will do free of charge.  The tunnels that the gophers dig become the railroad to the water table.  Rain and melted snow can easily flow through the tunnels deeper into the earth and seep into the water table easier than soaking through from the top soil. 

Speaking of soil, those dang gophers bring up subsoil to the surface and loosen the dirt beneath the top.  The subsoil contains trace minerals useful for the human body to LIVE!  These minerals are needed for oxygen transportation, growth, metabolism and help with hormones, enzymes, and so on and so on....

Those dang gophers... they are way too hospitable and allow for other small animals to share their dwellings.  Some animals just aren't able to dig holes and tunnels very well.  Unlike most humans, the gopher keeps it's front door open to guests of all kinds such as snakes, frogs, small reptiles, small birds, bunnies and the endangered burrowing owl.

Gophers are also prey to many predators such as wolves, coyotes, owls, falcons, hawks, eagles, bobcats, cougars and any other carnivore or omnivore on the prairies.  Since this is the primary diet for many of those, the elimination of the gopher will have detrimental effects on the ecosystems of those species.  (I can go on and on about the significances of each predator if needed but you'd fall asleep.  I lose more readers like that...)

Speaking of sleep, I'm sure some of you are nodding off already since this topic is so dang boring.  But boredom is strange.  The most boring thing, such as watching gophers play peek-a-boo in the field can be the most fun.  It can make you think of the significances of things - like the Richardson Ground Squirrel. 

Yes, gopher you are needed.  I don't want to imagine how the prairie environment would change with your extinction.  Yet, you are treated with cruelty, killed for you tails, and gassed out of your holes.  There is no way to please both sides.   My opinion? There needs to be more predators - which leads me to think that the food chain is whacked (another blog later maybe).



One last thought....

if the gopher is so evil, why is a gopher the mascot for our football team? 

Go Gainer??  ..



And that's my commentary for today.  Good night.