Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

By County Ordinance the County Agricultural Commissioner has been charged with rodent suppression in Fresno County, California. For nine years personnel from the Agricultural Commissioner's Office have conducted a county operated and funded program of ground squirrel suppression through the use of aerially applied zinc phosphide-treated squirrel oat groats. Planning procedures, relative costs, and operational aspects of the program are outlined. This technique of ground squirrel suppression has been shown to have many advantages over hand application of rodent baits. No known hazards to non-target wildlife species have been demonstrated.