Yes
DAMAGE. Ground squirrels are serious agricultural pests causing damage from $30 to $50 million annually in California alone (Marsh, 1994). They do much immediate damage, and also create problems that may surface later on. Crops – Even if California ground squirrels do not often live in crops because they are too wet, they can still be a serious threat when they live on the perimeter and feed inward on the fields. Trees and Vines – Squirrels cause damage to fruit and nuts, chew at the bark, and burrow under the trees. Rangeland and Irrigated Pastures – Ground squirrels compete with grazing animals for forage. They also reduce the potential because they eat the tender young sprouts of annuals, which may retard or stop growth. Damage. Ground squirrels normally do not cause extensive damage in urban areas. However, they will feed on flowers and vegetables in gardens, and their burrows can be a nuisance. In rural areas, ground squirrels can do extensive damage to cropland or pastures. They may dig up newly planted seeds, eat sprouting plants and weaken earthen dikes with their burrows. Their burrowing and gnawing behavior also can cause damage in irrigated areas. A number of species of squirrels and chipmunks occasionally become pests in and around buildings. When ground squirrels or chipmunks are present in large numbers they can cause structural damage by burrowing under patios, stairs, retention walls, or foundations. They may also invade garages, walls and attics. How to keep squirrels out of bird feeders ». The sticky gels that are marketed to deter squirrels from climbing on branches or other surfaces are dangerous to other wildlife, particularly birds, and inappropriate for wildlife control, not to mention that they can cause damage to surfaces on which they are placed. The rock squirreland thirteen-lined ground squirrel are the twospecies that most commonly cause damage bytheir burrowing and gnawing.Ground squirrels live in burrows that areusually 2 to 3 inches in diameter and 15 to 20feet long. The burrow system usually has twoentrances.
http://ucanr.edu/sites/Ground_Squirrel_BMP/Damage/ http://ucanr.edu/sites/Ground_Squirrel_BMP/Damage/ http://www.ag.purdue.edu/entm/wildlifehotline/pages/groundsquirrels.aspx http://desertwildlifeservices.com/squirrel.htm http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/squirrels/tips/squirrel-damage-yard-garden.html http://agrilifecdn.tamu.edu/txwildlifeservices/files/2011/07/Ground-Squirrel.pdf
can ground squirrels cause damage