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The Gopher

Gophers and Gopher Control

Gopher Damage

Gophers, if left unchecked, can cause extensive damage to household utility items as well as plant life. The pocket gopher has been known to chew through irrigation lines and utility cables as well as undermine and weaken a home foundation. The plant damage they may cause can include stem girdling and clipping, root pruning, and even root exposure. There also is the danger the gopher may smother some plant life when piling soil over it when creating its mound.

Soil brought to and deposited on the surface by the pocket gopher has a greater chance of erosion by rainwater.

Gophers who live in canal and ditch banks tend to ruin the integrity of the banks in which they live and may cause complete failure of the retention system resulting in great disaster.





    Acknowledgment:
  • Case, R. M., 1994. Pocket gophers: Prevention and control of wildlife damage. Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife. University of Nebraska
  • University of Michigan Museum of Zoology - Animal Diversity Web