TerraTrap GS Success Story: Tackling California Ground Squirrels at the Santa Barbara Airport

California Ground Squirrels may look harmless, but when their populations explode, they can quickly become a major problem. From damaging landscapes to undermining infrastructure, these rodents put pressure on both property managers and the local environment.

At the Santa Barbara Airport, that pressure was becoming all too real. According to Airport Maintenance Supervisor Matthew Donahue, the Administration building yard was “teeming with squirrels and other rodents” just a few months ago.

The airport team knew poison wasn’t an option. With raptors, foxes, and other wildlife nearby—not to mention the occasional employee dog—secondary poisoning risks were too high. As an environmentally responsible organization, they needed a safe and effective way to bring California Ground Squirrel populations back under control.

That’s when they turned to the TerraTrap GS.

“It is everything we could have hoped for and more.”

After deploying the trap, results came fast. Within three short months, the once-overrun yard was clear. The team was even able to relocate the trap to other areas of the property and purchased an additional unit to keep up with management needs.

“In three short months we were able to move the traps to another location and even purchased another to manage other populations on the property.”

The TerraTrap GS gave the airport a reliable, toxin-free way to manage California Ground Squirrels while protecting non-target species and maintaining harmony with the surrounding environment.

We’re proud to support forward-thinking organizations like the Santa Barbara Airport in their mission to keep properties safe, sustainable, and squirrel-free.

Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNSu7jlnQ70