Fix mountainous oversight
Published 4:48 pm Thursday, July 23, 2009
Pristine lawns and gardens are the pride and joy of many Washington residents. The soothing greens and colorful beauty the reward of hours of loving, tender care. Perfect weather this summer is a bonus, showcasing the landscapes.
But behind the seeming tranquility lurks trouble. (Cue the “Jaws” theme music.) What is it that can cause your otherwise dignified neighbor to curse and weep, gnash his teeth and flail his shovel about? Yes, it could be some kind of primal back-to-the-earth therapy. Or it could be that a nearly blind, furry rodent has burrowed its way through his brand-new lawn. A rodent protected under state law, a protection not shared by lawns, since they are not “fur-bearing.”
In November 2000, Washington voters approved Initiative 713, which places limits on the use of body-gripping traps to capture animals. The law makes it illegal to buy, sell or trade mammals or raw furs of mammals taken in Washington with body-gripping traps. Cage or box traps, suitcase-type live beaver traps, and common rat or mouse traps are still legal.
No one asked, “What about nuisance rodents that can’t be caught in a common rat or mouse trap?” Say, like a mole. The Department of Fish and Wildlife advises people to tolerate the moles before resorting to “lethal control.” Moles help keep the landscape healthy — their extensive tunneling and mound building mixes soil nutrients and improves soil aeration and drainage. Moles eat many lawn and garden pests. They also eat things good for the garden, like worms.
Telling people who take pride and joy in their yards to tolerate mountains of molehills is like telling a fashion designer to just ignore those moths in the cloth.
Fish and Wildlife notes the problems of taking on moles without a trap:
Moles have few natural enemies. “Because of their secluded life underground and their strong, musky odor, moles are unpalatable to most mammalian predators.” Which is why the hard-working but finicky cat hides Mr. Moley Magoo’s remains in rarely worn shoe in the back of your closet.
Moles don’t go for poisoned bait, repellents don’t work and they aren’t scared of loud noises. “Gas cartridges and smoke bombs are unreliable.”
Also: “Since moles spend most of their time underground, shooting is impractical unless you have the time and patience to wait for one to be active at or near the surface.” The same goes for waiting around with your shovel.
Tweak the law already. Before frustrated citizens resort to ever-more harmful efforts to combat the varmints, as demonstrated in the 1980 documentary, “Caddyshack.”
