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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4 - Items from the Director, Memo Attempted Rabbit Poisoning at Watson ParkDO NOT REMOVE - BOULDER PARKS AND RECREATION P~B File Matenal September 12, 2000 ~~ MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Will Toor Members of City Council FROM: Chns Dropmski, Director of Parks and Recreation SUBJECT: Attempted Rabbit Poisomng at Watson Park As the City Attomey's office conunues to mvesugate tlus issue, I thought I would shaze informauon from our department. There may be more informat~on avazlable after the invesagat~on is complete concernmg the issue of attempted rabbit poisoning at Watson Park by Parks Mazntenance Staff. Staff has fielded several telephone calls from representatives of the Rocky Mountam Animal DeFense Fund and a subsequent newspaper azvcle appeazed on September 9, 2000 m the Daily Camera. Watson Park, located on 63'~ Street, west of the IBM facihty, is owned by IBM and is managed by the Pazks and Recreataon Department through a Park and Recreation Easement. The followmg is a synopsis of what transpired. On July 21, 2000, Doug Hawthome, Parks Supenntendent, was contacted by a member of the Open Space Department with a concern about poisomng that was allegedly occumng at Watson Pazk. Open Space representatives nouced what appeared to be some rype of poison control m the areas where prazne dogs were located at Watson Park. Upon further mvesngauon and quesaomng of mamtenance staff assigned to Watson Pazk, Parks and Recreation management leamed m July that mamtenance staff had attempted to control wild rabbrts that were multiplymg and eatmg vegetat~on and flowers m the pazk. Staff used approximately eight to ten "gopher gas" smoke bombs that were purchased from a local hardwaze store to smoke out the rabbrts. The gopher gas smoke bombs were placed in specific holes where rabbits had been seen entenng and exitmg. Mazntenance staff was immediately directed to stop the gassing of rabbrts as this was occumng too close to exishng praine dog holes. The gas did not appear to have been workmg, and no cazcass of any ammal was ever found. The gassing of rabbrts stopped immediately. Rabbit holes aze smaller and do not have the soil mound assoc~ated wtth prazne dog holes. Staff did take some measures to mechamcally control praine dogs near the baseball fields and used cyclone fencmg to cover two holes closest to the baseball fields so prauze dogs would not come on to the fields. Mamtenance staff found that the praine dogs were commg up through the holes in the cyclone fence covenng these holes. On September 8, 2000, Pazks and Recreation staff received telephone calls from members of the Rocky Mountun Ammal Defense League with allegaaons of poisomng occumng m Watson Park. The members of the Rocky Mountam Defense League mformed staff that they had evidence of poisoning and had found orange canisters on site. City Council and the City Manager's office were informed about this allegation and another investigation was conducted. '"'~° The Parks and Recreation investigation into this latest matter has not revealed any evidence of recent gassing of prazne dogs or rabbits at the Watson Pazk site. Several gopher gas bombs were found on the site, but it could not be determined if these were new bombs, or left over shells from the July incident. The orange canisters on site were found to be temporary fencing sleeves and were not associated in any way with the gassing of rabbits. As Director of the City of Boulder Pazks and Recreation Department, I sincerely apologize to the Citizens of Boulder, members of City Council and the City Manager for the attempt to poison rabbits at Watson Pazk. It is our intent to work much more directly with staff and resource experts in areas where developed park land is being taken over by wild animals. The Department is taking the following immediate steps to ensure that this type of incident does not happen m the future• All Pazks and Recreation maintenance staff and managers will be given copies of the curent City Code regazding prune dogs as a follow-up to refresh staffs understanding of the law and to highlight the intent of the law. Tlus will be reviewed with staff and on-site visits wffl be made to any affected azea, or any azea anticipated to be affected, to discuss appropriate alternative management options available. 2. The Pazks and Recreation Department is drafmng a process for the management of ~~ wildlife on pazk and recreation property which will require a high level management sign-off before any actions aze taken to relocate or deal with any type of wildlife. Included m this policy will be management of rats, imce, skunks, praine dogs, raccoons and rabbits. A study session with City Council and the Pazks and Recreation Advisory Board is scheduled for December 12, 2000 to discuss Integrated Pest Management, and prazne dogs and pazk issues.