Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Approximately one third of all calls received by ACVCSD, Alameda County Vector Control Services District, are for rodents. One overlooked rodent species commonly encountered in Alameda County is the pocket gopher. In 2022, gophers accounted for the 8th-highest amount of service requests of 32 different vertebrate species-related services offered at Alameda County Vector Control. The potential monetary loss and physical damage caused by just one or two gophers is enough to cause significant distress to homeowners. Gophers are a particularly bothersome nuisance pest to homeowners, but are they only a nuisance pest, or are they also a vector? Pocket gophers can harbor ectoparasites, which can pass on diseases to other animals and potentially to people if exposed. However, because they live almost exclusively underground, gophers are not likely to encounter people, therefore the risk is likely minimal. To best control pocket gophers, it is essential to consider Integrated Vector Management (IVM). Integrated Vector Management is a rational decision-making process that encourages optimal use of resources for efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable vector control (WHO 2024). Tactics of IVM for pocket gopher control may include trapping, carbon monoxide injection devices, baiting, habitat modification, and exclusion. It is of the utmost importance to lessen the possibility of pesticide exposure to both humans and non-target animals. Therefore, exploring several options is best when planning for a control effort. Trapping and baiting tend to be the most common elements of gopher control, but methods such as habitat modification and exclusion may have more long-term results.