“Behold, the majestic skunk,” say I, to which you will no doubt reply, “The only thing I be holdin’ is my nose.” Such is the reputation of our local skunks, which seem to be known for one reason only — their unmistakable, horrendous odour.
All too often, maybe always, we tend to overlook the positive attributes of this remarkable mammal. For starters, it is probably the most recognized wild animal in North America. Think back to when you were first becoming aware of life beyond the boundaries of the household pets. Deer, raccoons and skunks may have been your first introduction to wildlife.
Looking back at the highly educational media clips from my youth, perhaps better known as cartoons, we encountered the shy and friendly skunk named Flower in Bambi, the not-shy-at-all Pepé Le Pew in Looney Tunes, and the wise Miss Ma’m’selle Hepzibah as Pogo Possum’s girlfriend. In 1972, musician Loudon Wainwright III immortalized this animal in his still well-known song, Dead Skunk. Skunks have been on the front line of entertainment for quite a while.
My current interest in skunks arose from a close encounter last week with this unique mammal. As our group was walking across a large expanse of pastureland, a skunk suddenly appeared ‘out of nowhere,’ right in front of us. By right in front of us, I mean, like, six feet away. Skunk. Right there!
Things happen in both fast and slow motion during a crisis situation. As I pondered the sight before me, I weighed options for action (run, duck and roll, or stand and take it), deciding warning the others would be a good thing to do. The skunk, meanwhile, had ambled away. It was out of sight within three seconds, or what felt like three long minutes to me.
The actions taken by us during this encounter are really what skunks want us to do. Stop, stand still so they can pick an escape route, and stay standing still while they wander away. No harm, no foul. (Get it? No foul, as in no foul-smelling air?)
That well-known spray is capable of reaching out at least 10 feet from the anal ducts under a skunk’s tail, which is why I panicked (only on the inside, mind you) when this one was encountered a mere six feet away.
However, skunks are reluctant to set off their sprinkler system unless they really, really have to. One reason for the delay is they can smell their own spray, and it’s as obnoxious to them as it is to you. The other reason is they pack only enough oily chemicals for five sprays, and then they are empty for about a week. (“I know what you’re thinking, punk. Did I spray four times or five times? Well, do ya feel lucky?”)
Because they don’t spray in confined areas, they can be live trapped and moved with some probability of success — ‘success’ being defined as not spraying while inside your car. A blanket is wrapped around the wire box trap containing the animal, lifted with great care and gentleness, and transported to a woodlot far, far away. Upon lifting open the trap door, the skunk usually skedaddles away as quickly as it can; heavy emphasis on the word ‘usually.’
Perhaps you should also know skunks can’t see past 10 feet. Their nose and ears are excellent, but the sense of sight has not been in high demand as they tend to forage at night and in dense grass or hay. This may have been our saving grace when we stumbled upon our skunk. Once out of sight, we were out of mind and therefore no longer a threat.
Skunks are in the weasel family and as such are fantastic hunters. They eat berries and bugs with equal relish, and can clean your yard of white grubs in just a couple of nights. Their strong claws are well suited to dig through tough turf to get at those tasty morsels. Earthworms are also high on the skunk’s menu, and now that we know all earthworms are invasive, the skunks are one our best allies at controlling the wriggly population. Like their cousins, the mink and otter, their toes are semi-webbed and they can swim well.
If you play Scrabble, you need to pay attention here. In 1630, these animals were documented as being in New England and their name was spelled ‘squunch.’ You’re welcome; now play those Us and hopefully get a double-word score.
If your dog has been running at large (that is, off-leash) and has encountered a skunk’s business end, I have no sympathy for you and the cleanup that is entailed. There are many folk remedies for ridding the oil from fur, but you should check with your vet as to the best treatment. And buy a sturdy leash while you’re at it.
Skunks are one of the most handsome creatures of our area and have proven their beneficial traits and role many times over; it’s too bad their defence spray is usually the only thing that comes to mind when one is encountered.
