San Jose Working to Address Squirrel Problem at La Colina Park

Park officials are working to address a squirrel problem at La Colina Park near Santa Teresa Boulevard in south San Jose.

Officials said the squirrels are damaging the park and making it unsafe for visitors.

"In an attempt to manage the ground squirrel population and reduce damage to the park, the City of San Jose has used a method that humanely reduces the number of squirrels without presenting hazards to people or other wildlife," Parks Manager Cindy Rebhan said in a statement. "Our goal is achieving an appropriate balance that ensures safe park conditions for our guests with a natural environment for wildlife."

The city called on ABOL Rodent Control to respond to the issue and wipe out the ground squirrels using a technique known as the "eliminator."

The technique knocks the rodents out with carbon dioxide before killing them and is approved by the International Society for Applied Ethology for killing lab rodents. (CorrectionAn earlier version of this article erroneously said PETA approved of the method. We regret the error.)

Some park visitors are not in favor of the city's decision to remove squirrels from the park. They would like officials to poll people at the park to see if the majority think the squirrels are a nuisance.

Terry McSweeney contributed to this report.

Contact Us