In recent weeks, I've heard many stories of skunks on Bowen. It's clear that skunks live here. It's also clear that we need to find ways to live alongside skunks. Why? Catching and killing skunks is unlawful in British Columbia unless you have a permit to do so.
There are many myths about skunks. One common myth is that skunks kill chickens. In fact, skunks are not fast movers–they have very short legs and very poor vision–and cannot catch chickens, unless they are injured. If a skunk can get inside a chicken-house, it will certainly eat eggs and slow-moving chicks, though. Mink are much more likely the culprit in cases of chicken-slaying. (We certainly have mink on Bowen. And it is just as illegal to kill mink without a permit.)
What do skunks eat then? They are actually rather beneficial to us, for the most part. They eat all kinds of garden pests including snails, insects and grubs, as well as roots, fungi, berries and fallen fruits. They will also eat snakes, small mammals and bird eggs. Their taste for earthworms and for honey is less wonderful. But of course, if we leave tempting food around, in the form of compost heaps or pet food or ill-secured garbage cans, we should not blame them for their opportunism.
It's the same opportunism that sees them making their homes close to us. Skunks are burrowing animals that like to den in the foundations of buildings, under porches, decks and sheds, or in wood piles. When I lived in Connecticut, I had a momma skunk raising a family under my front porch for months. During that time, there were no odorous encounters between the skunk family and my two lively dogs. Happily, everyone respected everyone else's space.
But I'll assume that you don't wish to live in such close proximity to these stripey nocturnal creatures. What should you do? Poisoning is of course illegal and inhumane and can easily harm other wild animals and domestic pets. There is no point in trapping and relocating them or in killing them (likewise illegal): it won't be long before another stripey tenant moves into the skunk-friendly territory under your porch that you have just rendered vacant.
What you need to do is remove the sources of food that are attracting them and make sure they can't get under the building to make their dens there. You can deter them by hanging rags soaked in vinegar in the area. Loud noise and bright lights are also deterrents. Ideally, you will close in your decks and close up any holes that give them access to your buildings or woodpiles. There is great information about this on the websites of the SPCA and the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (http://cfhs.ca/wild/skunks/), including excellent advice on how to avoid shutting animals in. (You will definitely not want to deal with rotting skunk carcasses.) Experience has shown that preventive measures are much less costly and less stressful for both wildlife and homeowners in the long run.
The fact is that skunks are mild-mannered creatures and go about in their bumbling way until and unless they are cornered or defending their young. A skunk that feels threatened will usually give plenty of warning by fluffing her fur, stomping her feet and growling. Only then will she lift her tail up and spray. The spray, which is a sulphur compound, is produced in the anal scent glands and is squirted from two small openings near the anus. I think we should regard it as one of nature's miracles that an adult skunk can spray with great accuracy up to twelve feet.
And what should you do if you or your over-inquisitive doggie is sprayed by a skunk? You can use diluted vinegar, tomato juice, carbolic soap or commercial products designed to remove the smell. Remember to keep these substances away from the eyes. But of course it is better to try to prevent the encounter in the first place.
And what of the phrase, 'drunk as a skunk'? I never understood that until, one night in Connecticut, I looked out the window to see a large skunk lurching across my neighbour's lawn. His uneven gait really did remind me of how inebriated humans stagger around. And, given that there aren't many words that rhyme with 'drunk', it's easy to see how the phrase has stuck.
