Spokane parks to detonate squirrels

[ccharles000]

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - The Finch Arboretum is being overrun by ground squirrels, and Spokane Parks and Recreation is bringing in some special artillery.

The agency is using a special machine called the Rodenator Pro to detonate some of the estimated 100 to 150 squirrels tearing up the grounds.

Shades of Carl Spackler, the gopher-hating groundskeeper from "Caddyshack."

The Rodenator Pro pumps propane and oxygen into the tunnels of squirrels, then sends an electric spark that causes an explosion. The shock waves kill the squirrels and collapse their tunnels - but in a humane way, the agency said.

Spokanimal, which is the local animal shelter and Humane Society chapter, was caught by surprise by Monday's announcement.

"You're kidding," Director Gail Mackie said when she learned the news. "That borders on cruelty."

Mackie said she would investigate the practice.

The parks department is warning area residents that it plans to blast squirrels all week, and to not be alarmed by noises that sound like gun shots. Parks officials said police have already been called to the arboretum by people who heard the explosions.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/42916587.html

[MichaelHarris]

1. They

can't see the forest because of the squirrels in the trees?

[leftstreet]

2. I hope the Squirrels fight back

[Xipe Totec]

8. I love that shot!

:rofl:

[hootinholler]

31. Tough they can be, yes?

-Hoot

[DJ13]

3. explosion, shock waves, kill, collapse their tunnels- but in a humane way

Was that written by a former Rumsfeld speech writer?

[Xipe Totec]

10. I nearly spit wine on the monitor when I read that!

:rofl:

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

20. Being set on fire and buried alive sounds like a pleasant death doesn't it?

[stevedeshazer]

4. That's totally Spokane.

Blowing up rodents and having a discussion about it.

[L0oniX]

5. Send in the air force

[ccharles000]

19. lol

[NV Whino]

6. I understand the problem but...

"The shock waves kill the squirrels and collapse their tunnels - but in a humane way, the agency said."
Get real.

[Olney Blue]

7. It is a terribly cruel way to kill animals. WTF?

[backscatter712]

9. Sounds like a story I heard about how to deal with ants.

I don't know if this is true or not, but it is allegedly a rather novel way to deal with ant colonies that are being a nuisance.

The secret weapon is smokeless gunpowder, aka nitrocellulose. The ants think of it as food, so you set it out where the ants can get it, and they'll carry it back to their colony, down underground to their queen, and their little food-storage chambers.

For four or five days, leave some smokeless powder out where the ants can get it. Then on the last day, leave a large amount, and come back to it early, while the ants are carrying it into their tunnels. You'll see a train of ants, each ant carrying a speck of smokeless powder.

Flick your Bic, and the train of ants will act like a fuse, and toast the entire colony, killing most of the ants, including the queen. You'll hear a lot of popping, see flames and smoke coming out of various places in the ground, and your ant problem is solved.

[Pavulon]

11. Organo-phosphates are easier..

[backscatter712]

12. Yeah, but you don't get the fireworks...

:evilgrin:

[Ellipsis]

13. Calling Bill Murray

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv87T1CQF8E&feature=related

[cobalt1999]

14. They are rodents, they breed like crazy, they are rats with furry tails.

Sheez people have some perspective.

No one complains about how exterminators kill rats.

[Vektor]

24. Oh, sure they do...

And I'm one of them. While I don't agree that squirrels and rats are terribly similar (the body structure, movements, over-all appearance and behaviors are much different) I don't have any less compassion for rats than I do squirrels.

I think blowing up or poisoning animals for "convenience" is pretty cruel and unnecessary.

[depakid]

25. Which means it might worth trying to establish some predators

Like pine martins and various sorts of raptors.

[cobalt1999]

33. This I agree with.

Some foxes too.

[Canuckistanian]

15. Well, as long as they're HUMANELY blown up

I don't see the problems.

[NeedleCast]

16. Possibly the best thread title ever

[DBoon]

17. I'm sure the Spokane animal shelter has many homeless pitbulls

who would gladly assist with squirrel elimination without the use of explsives

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. I love squirrel detonation!

:rofl:

Oh, man, that's hilarious!

I don't see the necessity, though - it's an arboretum, it's supposed to be like nature. Squirrels are part of nature.

Fucking hell, it's not the squirrels' fault for doing wrong in the arboretum. It's the arboretum's fault for thinking it can exist on the squirrels' land.

[Rincewind]

21. Squirrel detonation

would be a great name for a band.

[Rabrrrrrr]

26. Or the premise of a really funny television series.

Kind of a Wild Kingdom gone to the dark side.

[Vektor]

22. A HUMANE way?

Hmmmm. That sounds pretty horrific and not at all humane. it doesn't really "border on cruelty" so much as it is downright evil.

I love squirrels. Even if I didn't, I can't see the point of doing this. It's a little too "Dahmer-esque" for my tastes, and they will be back. More squirrels will show up to inhabit the park. Are they going to do this every year?

And what's a park without squirrels? This is crazy.

[Occam Bandage]

23. Headline promised. Story delivered. A+.

[formercia]

27. Someone watched 'Over the Hedge.' n/t

[rug]

28. Rec just for the headline.

[Bucky]

29. Dude! Exploding squirrels! I TOLD yall Obama would make this country awesome again!

Look, if it was moose or kittehs, I'd be all against it. But it's squirrels, so basically it comes down to them or us.

I vote us. Death to squirrels!

[MadHound]

30. Blowing the shit out of a squirrel is humane?

God forbid we ever find out what these idiots think is cruel and unusual.

And frankly, 100-150 squirrels is not that unusual, depending on how much land you sit on. Hell, the local college has a portion that sits on about five acres, and has at least two hundred squirrels running around, and it isn't overrun at all.

I think that what's happened is that the squirrels, being squirrels, found that some of those exotic bulbs and plants that places like the Finch Arboretum like to plant are quite tasty, and they're costing parks and rec a big bunch of money. Rather than recognizing that they introduced an exotic species of plant that wasn't working out, instead they decided to blow the shit out of squirrels who actually belong in the habitat.

Humans are such idiots sometimes.

[InkAddict]

32. Spokane gets #2 Groundsquirrel Leader w/bunkerbuster...

Osama bin Squirrel still elusive.

[stuntcat]

34. the 7,000,000,000 humans who are changing the entire Earth should really do more to ..

manage the wildlife through mass-killings.