What About Skunks-Things About Skunks

Skunks are very curious by nature: they go exploring. Baby skunks can get lost and hurt very easily. Skunks are not aggressive, but they can cause damage to lawns and gardens as they dig around hunting for grubs. Skunks leave a distinct cone shaped hole when they dig for insects. Skunks are a significant carrier of rabies in the United States. This status, as well as their propensity to use urbanized areas, makes them a serious potential source of human exposure to rabies.

Skunks are a mild-mannered, slow-moving, mind-your-own-business kind of animal. If provoked, they may spray people or pets. Skunks are mild-tempered animals that will not defend themselves unless they are cornered or harmed. Skunks have the ability to dis charge nauseating musk from the anal glands and are capable of several dis charges, not just one. Skunks are relatively inactive during the winter months. Young are born in the spring to coincide with nice weather and abundance of food, and are blind and deaf at birth.

Skunks are rare in our area, although we have two types occasionally found in Volusia county. The most prevalent is actually the spotted skunk, seen at the left. Skunks are probably best known for their ability to spray foul-smelling fluid as a defense against predators. Most wild skunks spray only when injured or attacked, as a defense mechanism. Skunks are native to the Americas and and are noted in historical accounts of Christopher Columbus . Skunks were reportedly kept as pets by some Native American nations.

Skunks are not entirely a problem, and there actually are benefits to having them around, and there have been uses for their fur and musk. While we dislike the damage they will cause to lawns we do need to recognize the value of their diet on insects. Skunks are primarily nocturnal mammals, preferring to hunt at night for grubs, insects, small rodents, carrion, fruit, berries, unripened corn, mushrooms and other food items. In urban areas, they feed on pet food, garbage, fruit that has fallen from trees, and garden vegetables. Skunks are very sensitive to light. The mother will move her babies to another nest site and you can then safely close the hole.

Skunks are excellent diggers and may try to gain entry by digging under fences. Skunks are easy to catch and can be transported without releasing their scent if done carefully. If you did not cover the trap with canvas, tarp, or thick burlap when it was set, slowly approach the animal, and gently cover the trap with the material. Skunks are slow-moving mammals and members of the weasel family, commonly identified by their jet-black fur with one or more white stripes running down their backs. One skunk species looks as though it is wearing a hood, with neck hair spread out into a ruff.