By Paula Musto
They may not be as cute as rabbits, as industrious as beavers or as clever as raccoons, but skunks are special critters that, due to a peculiar, or should we say odious, defense mechanism might well be the Rodney Dangerfields of the animal world. Skunks are skunks—people wisely keep their distance—but they have some of the most interesting chemistry and behavior in the animal kingdom. They deserve our respect.
While there are many beautiful animals in the wild, only one—the skunk—can stop you in your tracks, leaving you gasping for air if you, or your pet, have an unfortunate encounter that causes the animal to unleash its pungent spray.
North Carolina Nature Center assistant animal curator Jo Willoughby with Elvis. Photo by Holly Wilbur
“Skunks are unique,” says Carlton Burke, a Mills River naturalist who serves on the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge advisory board. “They are fascinating critters, one of my favorite animals. It’s unfortunate that people dislike skunks because of the noxious odor, but they only use it as a defense mechanism of last resort.”
Burke says skunks, when threatened or angered, will attempt to ward off the intruder before releasing its spray. Warnings may include stomping its front feet, chattering its teeth, arching its back and raising up its tail. You should heed the signals and get away quickly.
But let’s consider the attributes of these animals. With their jet-black coats, giant tails and distinctive, white markings, they have a unique appearance. No other critter looks like them, Burke says. They have individual personalities and are intelligent enough that wildlife educators often use them (de-scented) for exhibits and presentations. An especially important trait is an appetite for insects and bothersome pests.
“Skunks are an important cog in our ecosystem,” Burke says. “They are one of the most efficient natural pest controllers, eating large quantities of insects and other things, such as grubs, that can damage plants.” Simply put, skunks are natural pesticides. Some farmers even encourage these animals to den near their barns.
In WNC, there are two skunk species: the more commonly seen striped skunk and the much rarer spotted skunk, a protected species often seen at higher elevations. Both can shoot a blinding teaspoon of oily spray from their anal glands from as far as 15 feet away. Burke, who has never been sprayed though he’s had a number of careful interactions with skunks at his bird feeders, says the key is to move slowly and cautiously.
A good place to see a skunk up close but safely is the Western North Carolina Nature Center, where seven-year-old Elvis resides. The striped skunk was born in captivity and is de-scented (meaning anal glands have been removed). The Center’s assistant curator Jo Willoughby says Elvis was meant to be an educational animal for wildlife presentations, but his retiring manner keeps him behind his glass-encased, natural habitat exhibit most of the time.
Skunks are a vector species, meaning they are capable of carrying a transmittable disease, such as rabies, to humans, and as such it is illegal in NC to have them as pets. But, perhaps surprisingly, there are people in some states who keep de-scented skunks as pets, not unlike a traditional house cat.
Willoughby, like most wildlife enthusiasts, frowns at keeping these animals as pets. Not only is it illegal in some states but, despite their charm, a skunk is not a good choice for a pet. “They are beautiful animals with a precious little face,” she says, “but skunks are high-strung, solitary animals. Skunks only come together when they breed. Keeping one as a pet is not good animal welfare.”
Both Burke and Willoughby, however, urge people to look past their noses to appreciate the value of a skunk. Every creature plays a role in our ecosystem, and skunks play an important one.
Paula Musto is a writer and volunteer for Appalachian Wild, a nonprofit whose mission is to help injured or orphaned wildlife, support WNC’s wildlife rehabilitation network and provide wildlife conservation education. To help save wildlife, donate and learn more, visit AppalachianWild.org.
