I appreciate the research done by Mayor Pro Tem Laura Rosenthal. However, I would like to know the chemical composition of the "evaporating" pellet that is alleged to have been used for the rodent control, as I do not know of any toxic chemical (other than a gas) that "evaporates" in the animal's body post mortem.

If you think you are confused now, just wait til you read about this in one of the local weeklies.

It describes the chemical as a fumigant, when the application as described by the mayor was in a pellet, microdose form. It also talks about a family that was killed in their basement in Colorado. That was a severe overdose by an unqualified contractor. Did the newspaper investigate if such a dosage happened in Malibu? Why did the newspaper go on at length about fumigants, when this was a low level bait, assumably (we don't know) applied at very low dosage.

I am still waiting for any journalist, anywhere, to pose these questions to the responsible authority, rather than run transcripts from an elected official and then retreat to the internet to do research online about worst case scenarios that are totally nonapplicable here.

Were the fields at Malibu High sprayed, as a city commissioner alleged at a city meeting? Were they fumigated, as described by the local weekly?

I. too, would like a statement from the SMMUSD (or the city of Malibu -- it's a city joint use park). What exactly was applied? Where? Who ordered it, and why? What was the dose? Why the warning?

And most importantly, why was this done without adequate notice? This whole mess could have been so easily avoided. Sometimes the SMMUSD just doesn't think ahead.

If the problem with squirrels is "not in the fields, but in the hillsides," then why do they have to be killed? What problems are they causing in the hillsides, where no one goes? Quartz, you sound hysterical. Whatever you're reading was probably "planted" out there by the manufacturers of rodenticides. Is there a single instance in the U.S. of any human ever being killed by anything carried by a ground squirrel? How would any pathogen even be transmitted from squirrel to human? Have you ever tried to manually catch a ground squirrel? It can't be done. Do you know how deep their holes are? Give me a break. Any death from poison is not a kind or pretty death for these animals.

I, too, problems with killing squirrels. I grew up long ago in the city of Chicago where squirrels were commonplace. We co-existed at close quarters, but then there were no pesticide interests telling us, and the city bureaucracies, that we were in grave danger.
Are the hillsides used by the students? It would seem that the fields are used and there is not a problem there. If this is the case, why be concerned about the hillsides?

Some of you may recognize Jimy Tallal as a writer of news articles for Malibu Patch. While Jimy is free to have her opinions and share them, her posts here do not mean that Malibu Patch has taken a stance on this issue. Malibu Patch does not take a stance on anything except that Malibu is great, and when it comes to sports, we always root for the home team. Jimy will not be writing any news stories on this subject since she has an obvious bias. Reza Gostar is working on a story right now that will appear on Malibu Patch early next week.

you just dont know how bad it was. because it is better now.

one day i was on the fields and a helicopter flew over and i thought i saw 10,000 squirles
they were everywhere. it was so radical. plus the fields were full of gophers and it
was just a mess.

theschool had animal pest management who was worthless for years. the guy who services the school now i believe from western puts up signs on the field and will answer any questions you might have.

i got to go with the health department on this one
terry

Here, just like with Rep. Bachmann, we have an attention-seeking crusader using bad science, or no science at all, to attack big, bad government.

There are well-meaning people who are against any use of any pesticide at any time. There are STILL people who will not inoculate their children because they fell for a fake, discredited study from Britain a decade ago. There are people who chose not to eat meat, or drink chocolate milk. They are entitled to their opinions.

They are not entitled, however, to endanger public health and push their opinions on the rest of us, the vast majority.

The fact of the matter is that the school district must act in the public health interest if animals recognized by law as vermin overpopulate the campus.

Just two days ago, the LA Tiomes ran an article about ground squirrels in Glendale eating through ground wires -- not actual electrical circuits, just a ground. They have caused explosions, equipment meltdowns, and home damage. They could easily electrocuted someone, or caused a fire.

I have seen hillsides eroded by squirrel dens, endangering expensive buildings above and below the slope. I have seen fields cratered with holes. I have seen mice and rats in the garbage can areas.

There is legal liability if a person cracks an ankle in a gopher hole.

If a child gets bit by a pest, or develops an illness caused by that vector, we the taxpayer will be on the hook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lYm0c7gYyU&feature=related