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New answer to Winnipeg’s gopher problem

WINNIPEG — The city’s gophers will have a new and more environmentally friendly enemy to deal with this spring. The city has turned to a new weapon to control the number of gopher holes in parks and fields called, “The Giant Destroyer.”

The device looks like a firecracker and will contain sulpher and sodium nitrate. Crews will light it up and push it into the gopher holes.

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The new concept came after the city was forced to reconsider how to exterminate the rodents. Last year, a dog was poisoned after eating a ball of poison intended for the gophers. The new device will gas the gophers, suffocating them rather than poisoning them. The hope is to reduce the number of holes that injure walkers and athletes.

“So with the gas that we’re using this year, it just dissipates into the atmosphere,” said David Domke, manager of parks and open space. “We see it as a lot safer.”

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The city will be implementing the process in about half a dozen parks around the city.

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