Enemies Underground: The California Ground Squirrel

Produced by Anya Mendelson, Jessica Gebraeel, and Vincent Cao In this episode of Enemies Underground, we’ll explore the long and complicated history between Californians and the California Ground Squirrel. Long before California was settled by Europeans, these squirrels inhabited the landscape and played an important role in local ecosystems. However, as human populations expanded, their relationship with ground squirrels shifted dramatically. Once hunted as a food source, the animals later became targets of widespread eradication campaigns when they were associated with the spread of bubonic plague and viewed as a growing threat to agriculture. Since the early 1900s, Californians have waged an ongoing war against the California Ground Squirrel through trapping, poisoning, gassing, and even fertility control programs, yet their populations have proven remarkably resilient. In this podcast, we’ll examine the century-long conflict between humans and ground squirrels, uncover the motivations behind these control efforts, and explore why the war against the California Ground Squirrel has never truly been won.Recommended Readings For Listeners: For the best listening experience, we recommend you immerse yourselves in relevant reading material.Barry, S. (n.d.). A brief history of ground squirrel control efforts in California. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2018-08/288938.pdf. This source provides a useful brief historical background of the ground squirrel story! We recommend taking a quick read to familiarize your self with the key players in the war on squirrels. Marsh, R. E. (1998). Historical review of ground squirrel crop damage in California. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 42(2-3), 93–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0964-8305(98)00014-6This source provides a more comprehensive background for those interested in the details of this tale. Center. (2024, September 26). California OKs Strongest Rat Poison Restrictions in Nation. Center for Biological Diversity. https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/california-oks-strongest-rat-poison-restrictions-in-nation-2024-09-25/On the other hand, this source gives recent insight on the latest developments of the management of California Ground Squirrels.  Pests and Prejudice is a podcast series created by UCLA undergraduates in the spring of 2026.  Each episode is a story of a messy relationship, one in which people seduced pests, and then decided to break up with them... and it usually goes about as well as you would expect...