BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Students at California State University Bakersfield and members of the community are petitioning for change, as they say the university is "unethically fumigating underground burrows, potentially harming the endangered San Joaquin Kit Fox."
A few weeks ago, CSUB students and faculty voiced their concerns at a meeting with the school's Capital and Facilities Management Services regarding their fumigation methods, saying those methods can harm endangered kit foxes living on campus.
According to CSUB alumna and graduate student Alexandra Brown, the campus community was not told ahead of time that facilities planned to start fumigating.
"I saw that the bike path and the walking path there were closed and there's a big machine on the grass, and there's planks of wood laying on the ground, and I was like, 'Hm, that is weird. I wonder what they are doing or why they picked today when all these people are going to be on campus for an event to do some kind of construction or maintenance,'" said Brown.
On an otherwise average day for Brown, she unknowingly witnessed the school's Capital and Facilities Management Department fumigating squirrel burrows.
"That is what really surprised me, to know that I walked right past this happening," said Brown. "There was carbon monoxide gas that was being exhausted into these, and none of the animals could escape. I think that was so alarming to realize that is what was going on."
Sarah Alame, another graduate student at CSUB, is one of the people behind the petition asking the school's Capital and Facilities Management Services to agree to a full population assessment of both the California Ground Squirrel and San Joaquin Kit Fox populations, prioritize the implementation of alternative control methods, and release all previous control records for review to determine whether any avoidable harm was done.
"I had the idea of starting the petition because we asked for a representative from the Capital Management Facilities Department to come to our official public board meetings on Fridays. They weren't able to come to 2 of the board meetings, and so we decided we cannot keep waiting," said Alame. "We have to speak up, be heard about this."
Alame adds that if San Joaquin Kit Foxes were not present on CSUB's campus, she believes this wouldn't be as "big of an issue," because a permit is not needed in the State of California to fumigate squirrel burrows.
However, since the fumigation is being done without a consulting firm or an associated permit, Alame says the kit foxes are at risk of being harmed or killed.
"If they decide that fumigation really is the only solution, they need to put out surveys. A survey can be conducted by setting up these special cameras that will record images every time there is movement and they can analyze them and determine whether this burrow is occupied by a squirrel, kit fox, both, or any other animal," said Alame.
University officials responded to a request for comment with a statement that reads, in part:
"CSUB follows all local, state, and federal laws governing the use of pest control, and works with scientists, leading consultants, regulatory agencies, and others to ensure we are monitoring our kit fox population."
READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
CSUB Burrowing Rodent Management by Amy Pachla on Scribd
23ABC has reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. They say they are aware of the situation and are working to gather more information. CSUB officials also say they plan to hold a listening session to get faculty and staff input on the matter.
