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In the News: Tails of Marin

No need to make a stink over skunks

By MHS Animal Services Officer Marc Rose

Derided, ridiculed, persecuted – oh, the life of a skunk, characterized only by its scent of self-defense, that powerful, familiar odor we have all come to know, and fear. I have a mild appreciation for the scent, given that in my job I may end up at the bottom of a skate park pool, trying to convince a skunk, ever so subtly, that I am there to help. Good intentions may be lost on the skunk, though, and getting that skunk out is likely going to come at a cost, and fresh air will pay the price.

Skunks are not good climbers, which is why you might find one (or two) at the bottom of a skate park pool, or trapped in a window well, or stranded on a balcony. They don’t easily climb fences like their athletic cohorts the raccoons and opossums (well, maybe it’s a stretch to call opossums athletic, but at least they can scale a fence). Skunks like to live under things, such as wood piles and houses, and in their free time, they choose to dig.

They’ll dig under your fences, and into crawl spaces and storage sheds in search of a good, safe, warm nesting spot. And while they’re around, they’ll happily dispose of grubs from your yard, snails off your roses, and black widows from dark corners. They’ll occasionally eat mice, aren’t deterred by bees or wasps, and will even root out the nests of ants. And then they’ll do some more digging.

So you may awaken one beautiful, sunny spring morning to find that your well-manicured yard has been freed in numerous locations from the onerous constraints of actual grass. You may choose to look at this as a positive, an opportunity to lower your expectations about what is possible in a yard. Go, be free.

However, if you find yourself personally offended, shocked and awed by the nerve, the tenacity, the random resolve of the skunk and its world-class claws, I have some simple, useful advice.  Take a look around your house. Clear wood piles and other debris that might provide cover for skunks. Check around the foundation and look for loose dirt and open vents. When installing fences, be sure to extend them about six inches below the surface of the ground. And maybe most importantly, keep the outside of your house free of unsecured garbage cans, and don’t leave dog or cat food out at night. Skunks are drawn in by easy food sources and comfortable lodgings. 

Skunks rarely spray. They do so only when facing a significant threat. However, if you are concerned that a skunk may be living under your house, and find this arrangement untenable, you can exclude the skunk by closing off the animal’s entry when it is away. However, only close off an entry when you have made certain that no animals are in the space. In the spring, skunks may have young in the den, who do not travel with the adult, and closing off the entry will mean death to the young. 

It is important to keep in mind that trapping wildlife, including skunks, is illegal in California. If you feel that you have a situation that you are unable to resolve, even after following the aforementioned advice, you should call upon a professional wildlife exclusionist. In most cases, putting up with a few divots and the occasional overpowering odor is a reasonable exchange for the natural, organic pest-control services that skunks provide. 

Marc Rose is an animal services officer at the Marin Humane Society.