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Northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides) are solitary, burrowing rodents commonly found throughout Western Canada. In Alberta, they are often mistakenly called moles, even though true moles do not live in the province. This confusion is common, as both animals create underground tunnels and soil mounds, but the damage seen on lawns and properties in Alberta is almost always caused by northern pocket gophers. If you believe you have moles on your property, it is far more likely that you are dealing with pocket gophers. These rodents inhabit grassy areas, fields, parks, and residential properties, where they spend the majority of their lives underground.
These rodents are powerful diggers, using strong front claws and large incisors to excavate extensive tunnel systems just below the soil surface. As they tunnel, they push excess soil upward, creating fan-shaped or crescent-shaped mounds across lawns and fields. Their underground activity can damage grass roots, ornamental plants, trees, irrigation systems, and underground cables.
Northern pocket gophers feed primarily on roots, tubers, bulbs, and other underground plant material. This feeding behavior can cause plants to wilt or die unexpectedly, even when surface conditions appear healthy. Over time, repeated tunnelling can weaken soil structure and create uneven ground that poses a safety risk.
Effective control of pocket gophers requires specialized knowledge and techniques due to their subterranean lifestyle. Professional pest control services focus on locating active tunnels and implementing targeted control measures to reduce damage and prevent ongoing activity.
Northern pocket gophers are stocky rodents with short necks, small ears, and prominent front teeth. They have large cheek pouches, known as “pockets,” used to carry food. Because they rarely surface, identification is most often based on their distinctive soil mounds rather than visual sightings of the animal itself.
Common signs include fresh, fan-shaped mounds of loose soil appearing across lawns, gardens, or fields. Damaged or dying plants, uneven ground, and sudden root loss are also indicators. Unlike mole mounds, gopher mounds typically lack a visible central hole and appear in a linear pattern following tunnel systems.
Preventing pocket gopher activity involves reducing suitable habitat and monitoring for early signs of tunnelling. Maintaining healthy, compact soil and removing vegetation that attracts gophers may help deter activity. However, once gophers establish tunnels, professional control is often necessary to prevent further damage and relocate the animals.
est. 1900
est. 1900
