Kirk
Many types of rodents are capable of causing damage in urban settings as well as in agricultural land. The contraception method for controlling the rodent population can be used occasionally to reduce damage without causing rodents to be killed. Rodents usually have a short life span; however, they are fast breeding animals.
Unfortunately, the oral birth control used for rodents cannot easily be obtained by ordinary consumers. This method is most often used in agricultural, large scale settings and is given by a city agent. The most common chemicals used are aromatase inhibitor, 22-azacholesterol and 20, 25-diazacholesterol. However, these are only used by some permitted entities. Birth control chemicals are available to foresters, farmers and park managers, but not to homeowners. The typical method that can be used by homeowners is rodenticide, which includes zinc phosphide, burrow fumigants and anticoagulants. These chemicals are lethal and can kill the rodents, as well as produce hazardous toxins. Using such methods might also cause harm to people. In agricultural lands, rodents are considered to be pests because some species usually eat fruit, crops and other agricultural plants. Some rodents bother bird feeders and consume pet foods.
Rodents can sometimes be pests, but most species of rodents are not. In fact, rodents have a very important role in the environment, especially in the food web. They are essential for the nutrient cycle in grasslands and forests for seed dispersal. They also provide other species a habitat and they serve as a food source for predators and scavengers in the food cycle.
