Baby skunks, recently saved, see the charm in a musical melody
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June kicks off baby skunk season, a time when these little critters follow their mothers out of their dens. In a span of just 24 hours, the Raven Ridge Wildlife Center in Washington Boro, Pennsylvania took in 27 skunk kits. A heart-wrenching case was posted on their Facebook page, detailing a good Samaritan discovering baby skunks near an old shed.
As Tracie Young, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator at Raven Ridge Wildlife Center, explains, "A lone baby skunk or multiple skunk kits is always in need of rescue. Mama skunks are über protective, keeping their kits within sight. Their poor eyesight, however, makes them reliant on their keen sense of smell."
Lucky for these little ones, the man also found what he thought was the deceased mama skunk. He moved the babies into a box and headed to the wildlife center. The staff will nurture them for the following months before reintroducing them into the wild, as stated in the post.
Young added that they usually receive around 50 to 70 skunk kits during the bustling baby season, and over 20 adults throughout the year. Skunks admitted to the center often face complications like rabies, soda can entanglements, and other peculiar issues.
Threats to baby skunks are abundant, including predators like great horned owls (skunks being their favorite snack), car accidents, dog attacks, and even well-meaning individuals who get smitten with these cute, fuzzy balls and decide to keep them as pets.
Sadly, in states like Pennsylvania, such human interaction requires authorities to euthanize the skunk for rabies testing. Young strongly advises reaching out to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center, like Raven Ridge, especially when baby skunks are spotted solitarily.
Reminder: If you find a baby bird out of its nest, here's what to do
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- Should you encounter a solitary baby skunk, it's important to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center like Raven Ridge, rather than keeping it as a pet or contacting authorities for rabies testing.
