Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Striped Skunk

The skunk(let)s have arrived!

That’s right, a baby skunk is called a skunklet!

Unfortunately, the majority of these skunklets were brought to us due to people relocating or killing the mother, leaving them orphaned and starving.

Many people mistakenly believe that if they don’t want wildlife on their property, the kindest option is to trap them and take them somewhere better. However, relocation is not kind OR humane. Studies show that animals relocated outside of their territories end up spending more time and energy trying to get back to where they came from.

With no familiar landscapes or smells, they often end up in more danger crossing more roadways, or encroaching on already-occupied territories and being attacked when trespassing.

Sometimes animals are so stressed that they spend less time foraging or finding food, making them emaciated, weak and vulnerable to any issues they might’ve been dealing with, like mange mites or a low-grade infection.

If you have unwanted skunks denning near your home, please call us first. We can advise you best on how to get wildlife to move out safely and make sure babies are not left behind.

And please do not intervene until AFTER baby season is over in the early fall to prevent creating orphans.

These skunklets may be super stinkin’ cute, but they will always have a better chance with mom than being raised by humans.

Stinky but Significant!

Striped skunks may have the bad reputation of being stinky neighbors, but they also offer significant ecological benefits! They help control rodent and insect populations which not only reduces damage to crops and gardens but also helps maintain a healthy balance within ecosystems. Skunks are also an important food source for various predators.

Fun Fact: The most common predator of skunks are Great horned owls because they lack of a keen sense of smell. While the stench might send other predators running, these owls are unfazed.

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