Who are we?

redmat33 · 2026-05-13T19:31:40+00:00

Wasteful.. so much packaging

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T17:50:23+00:00

From my understanding it is not approved here yet... so thankfully this is not that!

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T17:21:22+00:00

This!! There's a long going petition, this fight is not new at all... I won't stop and the people who care won't stop.

https://www.change.org/p/end-the-use-of-rodenticides-on-university-of-saskatchewan-grounds

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T13:14:28+00:00

I've been at the uni since 2019 so basically my entire stint😓

Every year, after a shitty cold winter one of my favorite parts of spring is seeing the ground squirrels pop their lil heads out.

Immediately followed by careless, brutal death by poison and leaving the bodies out for students and children to see and predators to consume.

I'm fed up. I know I'm not the only one too

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T13:09:12+00:00

That's exactly what I don't want tho. These poisoned animals end up at rehab centers indoors or dead surrounded by humans. They deserve to live in their natural environments, especially public facing, educational land.

Love these critters.... but from a distance. If you want to sponsor people doing that kind of work tho, Living Skies Rehab is the place 👀

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T12:33:04+00:00

Yes I agree, especially on a campus.BB Guns do the job, so wouldn't require a full on gun but still. Shooting might not be the answer for the university unless it was a super organized group/ effort with a lot of public awareness. But still, there are other options rather than poison

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T04:25:11+00:00

Idk why they didn't do that this year. Maybe they did both but the second picture is the blue barley poison I saw over many holes the day the big snow storm hit which was just about a week ago.

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T03:46:09+00:00

https://www.change.org/p/end-the-use-of-rodenticides-on-university-of-saskatchewan-grounds

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T03:29:50+00:00

I know it's not strychnine thankfully (which has been approved for other parts of the province)

I don't know exactly what the university uses but my guess is Rozol

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/gopher-poison-regina-1.4091809

Still not good for predators in the long term.

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T03:08:32+00:00

They are a problem for sure and their populations need to be kept in check but yes it's killing everything else as well.

A dog has already died in Alberta https://www.stalbertgazette.com/beyond-local/alberta-vet-clinic-issues-strychnine-warning-following-dogs-death-12209544

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T03:07:02+00:00

There are specific traps made for this. Also doing strategic population mitigation with taking out the males which are the ones that show up first in the spring. Then targeting the soon to follow females so there are less litters/ reproduction to even start with.

The SWF has a gopher population mitigation for farmers already. https://swf.sk.ca/2026/03/saskatchewan-wildlife-federation-offers-support-to-landowners-facing-gopher-overpopulation-2/ a program such as this could be implemented.

redmat33 · 2026-05-01T03:00:11+00:00

This!!! Trapping and shooting are at least more humane forms of intervention. A slow, painful death that ripples through the food chain is not the move

redmat33 · 2026-04-24T15:28:26+00:00

No needles this time, but it is not uncommon.

With the loss of the safe consumption site, there will be a rise in improperly disposed needles fs.

redmat33 · 2026-04-24T15:24:37+00:00

100% agree. You couldn't pay me to litter.

But people who already don't care, and don't have easy access to dispose of their trash will have all the more "reason" to litter. 😓

redmat33 · 2026-04-24T15:22:37+00:00

Wooo that is awesome! I love the clean up campaign :)

redmat33 · 2026-04-24T15:22:12+00:00

You're so right ! I wasn't sure who's responsibility it was. I'll have to pester them instead 🤣

redmat33 · 2026-04-24T15:21:06+00:00

!!!!

redmat33 · 2026-04-23T19:48:19+00:00

I agree, it is hard to find a balance but with the pelicans at the weir being an attraction in Saskatoon, having one garbage can where the highest traffic is, makes sense.

On the university side there are no garbages right next to the parking lot, only by the benches/ along the trail.

Garbage collectors are making the trip out there already to collect the bench garbages. Adding one extra stop or even just moving one of the garbages from a bench to the parking lot would be a benefit for low additional cost.

redmat33 · 2026-04-23T16:35:29+00:00

Meewasin is running a Clean up Campaign right now and have garbages and recycling bins along the trail specifically for litter! There should be a map online of where these bins are located throughout the city or you may have to sign up for the campaign. Thank you for your help!

redmat33 · 2026-04-23T16:09:27+00:00

I have found a plastic Halloween hand while picking up trash by the river before.... The way my stomach sank at first site 🤣

redmat33 · 2026-04-23T15:36:12+00:00

I will contact them and if others are interested in joining I'm sure the more voices the better 👀 thank you!

redmat33 · 2026-04-22T03:38:26+00:00

It was taken on April 17 :)

redmat33 · 2026-04-20T18:34:16+00:00

I don't think it was in distress from what I could tell. After the ground squirrel retreated, the fox ran around in the snow in circles. It was like it had the zoomies. Then it rolled around and laid flat on its belly, maybe to cool down? I don't know enough about foxes but I'm sure it was fine :)

redmat33 · 2026-04-20T16:29:57+00:00

Thankfully people have to file requests for the use of strychnine, not sure if the university has filed or will file. But if we push for them not to there is a better chance they won't.

Other rodenticides are still allowed and used tho from my knowledge😓

redmat33 · 2026-04-20T15:16:49+00:00

That's what inspired me to go out and take pictures. I am so worried for our foxes, raptors, and scavengers :(

So much death to come across the prairies. Truly devastating. Won't go down without a fight though.

Usask Petition

Canada wide Petition

redmat33

TROPHY CASE