Squirrel Poison California Condor Eben McMillan 10 September 1964 I was instructed by telephone, today, by Earl Kalar, Agricultural Commissioner of San Luis Obispo County that the last squirrel poisoning was done in San Luis Obispo County in 1964 about mid-August and that it had started sometime in April. Mr. Kalar also informed me that Compound 1080 was first used extensively as a squirrel poison in S.L.O. County in 1947. That Thallium Sulfate had been used from 1929 to 1947. Mr. Kalar also told me that Compound 1080 is relatively tasteless and odorless while possessing a high rate of toxicity and that although there are antidotes for this poison, provided such is applied soon enough after the poison has been taken, success of counteragents are not predictable once a lethal dosage of 1080 has been ingested, Mr. Kalar also informed me that his field personnel have no orders from him to limit the application of Compound 1080 poison to active ground squirrel burrows and not apply it with the thought of its purpose to be killing kangaroo rats. He said that undoubtedly considerable 1080 poisoned grain is thrown where kangaroo rats can use it. He said this is not the policy of his office to encourage the use of Compound 1080 treated grain for rats but that Ground squirrels only are the target species. Mr. Kalar stated that both Compound 1080 and Thallium Sulfate are restricted for use by the general public. He thought that both poisons high degree of -