'It's gotten a lot worse': Gophers a source of grief for some Kincora residents

For some people, gophers are nothing more than cute little critters.

To others, they're a problem pest that needs to go.

At least a few people in the northwest Calgary community of Kincora are in that second camp.

In one community green space, every tree and rock has at least one big hole under it.

Despite gophers being a key food source for many predators, the park seems to be the land coyotes forgot.

At least one neighbour hopes the city doesn't forget, too.

"We've never had this problem. It's really just exploded in the last two years. This year, it's gotten a lot worse," said Kincora resident Damian Goussis.

"There's holes everywhere. It's just a nuisance for the park.

"And we've called the city out a few times on them and unfortunately, you know, they've come in and just done a little bit of dispatching here and there, but not to the point where they've been completely eradicated."

Properly known as Richardson's ground squirrels, gophers are a native species with a valuable role to play – eating weeds and grasses and cycling nutrients.

"They are those ecosystem engineers and if we want to continue to see things like our red-tailed hawks and our Swainson's hawks on the landscape, then we need to be supportive of keeping gophers as well," said Sara Jordan-McLachlan of the Weaselhead Preservation Society.

Those in farm country share some of Kincora's frustration with rising numbers of the little rodents.

"The bird predators aren't able to find them in grown tall weeds. They create quite a mess out in the land and the landscape through the holes on grass and the croplands," said beef producer Kent Holowath.

The city says it avoids interfering with them, but when they damage infrastructure or usability of greenspaces, they will take steps to limit populations.

It was tried in Kincora about two weeks ago without much effect.

The city did not say what more might be done or how many other neighbourhoods have complained about booming ground squirrels.