It is not often in the modern world that new species of animals are discovered. The stink badger, which is found in Indonesia and the Philippines, was recently considered part of the skunk family. That brings the worldwide total to 5 species, and they are mainly found in North and South. There is the hog-nosed, hooded, spotted, and striped. The spotted is usually the smallest of the four, with adults measuring as small as 15.6 inches and just over one pound, and the largest, the hog-nosed, gets to about 37 inches and tips the scale at up to 18 pounds.
Skunks are nocturnal, so they get busy when the sun goes down and ravage gardens in search of food while homeowners are sleeping. This can make it difficult to identify the suspect who dug up the yard. Luckily, these black and white night-walkers leave some signs that are dead giveaways, such as their noxious odor and their unique five-toes-with-claws feet that leave very distinct tracks. When the sun comes up, and they're getting ready for their turn to sleep, they hurry back to the closest available entrance to their burrows.
These burrows are created quickly and efficiently with long, sharp front claws and powerful legs. Once the hole is large enough for them to live comfortably, they line it with leaves and other debris. If you're a property owner and shallow holes are sprouting in your yard, there's a good chance you've got a specific type of wildlife problem. Tell-tale skunk holes are about 4 inches deep, a few inches across, and cone-shaped. If left unchecked for long enough underneath foundations, decks, or porches, they can impact structural integrity and even cause a catastrophic failure of the architectural support. If you live in northern Illinois or the surrounding areas and have a problem with these masterful diggers, contact a professional like Wildlife Services for help as soon as possible. Left alone, mama skunks can produce between two and ten babies yearly.
Skunks are best known for their defensive spray, a liquid secretion they shoot from their anal glands at predators or other beings they deem a threat. When confronted, they’ll stomp and hiss at you with a warning in an effort to avoid a confrontation. The horrendous odor of skunk spray can stick for up to three weeks, and the substance can burn and cause impaired vision if shot in the eyes. A spray from their stink gland is not something you want to risk if you can help it, so it is best to head their warning.
They are also the main carriers of rabies and in 2018, the
CDC reported that skunks made up a whopping 20.3% of all reported rabies cases. Northern Illinois is a wonderful place to live, but unfortunately, there are plenty of nuisance pests like skunks, raccoons, and squirrels looking to move in. Luckily for the region's homeowners, Wildlife Services is here to help.
Contact us today for an estimate so we can get started on your wildlife headaches as soon as possible.
