Jul 12, 2006 7:28 pm US/Mountain
Officials Consider Explosives For Prairie Dogs
Image
Raj Chohan
Reporting
(CBS4) DENVER The Colorado Wildlife Commission will consider allowing farmers to use a new method for getting rid of prairie dogs that's currently illegal.
The method would kill prairie dogs using explosive gas to blow up and collapse the burrows.
The Rodenator, made by Meyer Industries, uses a mixture of oxygen and propane that's pumped into the burrows and then ignited.
"This device appears to have some advantages for those in the organic farming industry," said Tim Holeman from the Colorado Division of Wildlife. "Prairie dogs and pocket gophers do damage to crops and livestock. Farmers have the right to control rodents and they typically use chemicals or poisons."
Proponents of the Rodenator said its better on the environment because it doesn't leave lingering chemicals and it's more humane to the prairie dogs than chemical poisoning.
Still, some environmental groups are opposed to the technique.
"This is an inhumane bunker buster," said Judy Enderle from the Prairie Preservation Alliance. "It goes down and explodes indiscriminately any animal in the burrow."
One of the biggest supporters of explosive gas is the organic farmers who don't want to jeopardize their organic status by using chemicals to kill prairie dogs.
Meyer Industries said the Rodenator is legal in every state except Colorado.
Wildlife officials will discuss the issue on Thursday but a final decision won't be made until September.