If ever there was an animal that has gotten a bad rap it's the poor skunk. Skunks have been around for thousands of years and have actually lived in close proximity to man much of that time. Yet, you rarely ever hear of a person making a pet out of a skunk or even feeding one. In fact, it's derogatory to call someone a "skunk."
Skunks are common throughout Lake County but they are rarely seen since most of their activity occurs at night. Skunks are often hit by vehicles, one reason being they will get out into the middle of the road and challenge the oncoming vehicle.
California has two species of skunks, the most common being the striped skunk. The striped skunk is a house-cat sized animal (between 4-10 pounds) with long black fur and two variable broad white stripes down the back. The head is triangular, the tail large and bushy.
There is also the smaller spotted skunk. Spotted skunks have black with white spots or short white streaks. They are smaller than the striped skunk, about half the size of a house cat. They are more common in Southern California.
Just about all the skunks in Lake County are of the striped skunk variety. Most skunks live only about three years. They feed on bugs, small rodents, bird eggs and small seeds and berries. When they are living near houses they often feed on cat or dog food or even garbage. In other words, they are opportunistic.
Since skunks don't climb most experts recommend placing cat or dog food on a chair or bench. They breed during February and March and have litters about nine weeks later. The litters range from four to six young (called kits). They are member of the weasel family.
All skunks have the ability to discharge a nauseating musk from their anal glands. They are capable of spraying their musk several times with accuracy to a distance of about 10 feet. This is their primary defense. Coyotes, foxes and golden eagles are the primary predators of skunks. Wildlife biologists say the black and white color of a skunk is to warn off predators.
Skunks have learned to adapt to people and will often live under a house or shed. A few years ago a woman who lived in Buckingham reported more than 20 skunks had taken up residence under her house. A trapper removed the unwanted guests, which included many young skunks. The county agriculture office handles skunk complaints and during the course of a year the office handles dozens of these calls.
Professional trappers will remove skunks by using cage traps. Ted Elliott of Lucerne is a wildlife biologist and was a federal trapper for a number of years. He has handled thousands of skunks and says he has never been sprayed. He says skunks aren't aggressive and if you treat them gently they won't spray you. Once the skunk is in a trap Elliott will talk softly to it to relax it before covering the trap with a coat or small tarp.
By law all skunks trapped have to be killed and cannot be released. Elliott says when a skunk feels threatened it will jump up and down on its front legs in an attempt to bluff its attacker. That's one reason why so many skunks are killed by vehicles. When they see a car approaching they jump up and down in an attempt to hold their ground.
Skunks are one of the primary carriers of rabies in California. According to authorities, a high percentage of the skunks checked for rabies have tested positive for the disease during the past five years. Rabies is a viral disease that is fatal in mammals, including man and domestic animals (dogs, cats and livestock). It is transmitted by the bite of an infected animal. A skunk that is roaming around during the daytime or exhibits unusual behavior should always be avoided. This is why all pets such as cats and dogs should be vaccinated for rabies. In addition to rabies, skunks can carry leptospirosis, listeriosis, canine distemper, canine hepatitis, Q-fever, tularemia and trypanosoma. They are also heavily infested with ticks, fleas and mites, which are known carriers and transmitters of disease.
The odor that skunks release is very similar to the smell of a marijuana plant. More than one person has thought he or she smelled a skunk when it really was the odor from a neighbor's garden. In fact, a slang word for a marijuana plant is "skunk weed."