Federal proposal to ban the use of liquid strychnine poison not supported by Alberta
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OTTAWA — The Alberta government is telling Ottawa it does not support a federal proposal to ban the use of liquid strychnine poison for killing prairie gophers.
Health Canada is proposing to ban the use of strychnine to control the rodents, formally known as the Richardson ground squirrel.
There is concern that strychnine kills other animals, including species at risk such as the swift fox and the burrowing owl.
Alberta Agriculture says producers are worried about the financial implications of a ban, because strychnine is the only effective tool for controlling gophers.
Gophers can be a major problem for farmers and ranchers. While the critters are small, they burrow underground and can damage crops. Masses of burrows in fields also create safety hazards for cattle and horses.
