By Rachel Lovejoy-Wyand, Wildlife Care Specialist
“You can call me Flower if you want to.” An iconic phrase from the movie Bambi said by a well-known animated skunk who just wants to have friends. Due to their off-putting smell he has a hard time making friends and the name Flower is an oxymoron.
The striped skunk is a common species found in Ohio, mainly at night as they are nocturnal. We usually smell them before we see them. Skunks are known for the smelly, oily liquid that they spray on any animal they might consider a predator as a defense mechanism when they feel threatened, cornered or surprised. Their spray is their only true means of defense. They stomp their feet in warning, but if the predator doesn’t back away they get covered in stink as they can spray up to ten feet! While a skunk’s spray will not harm the victim, the smell does linger for days despite attempts to remove it.
Skunks will burrow in cavities or nests created by other animals or nest in hollow logs. Each female will have two to ten babies every year. The kits, or kittens, are born in May. Once the kits are old enough, they begin following their mother around in a line while she teaches them to forage and hunt for themselves.
Skunks are opportunistic eaters and are often found foraging at night. They are not picky about what they eat as they will eat plants, fruits, eggs, reptiles, insects, small mammals or even small fish. So be thankful for them when they are digging up the grubs in your yard!
Odie (named for the odiferous nature of his spray) is the striped skunk Animal Ambassador at the Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center. Unlike most of our ambassadors, Odie did not come into the center for rehabilitation due to an injury or loss of a parent. Odie was actually obtained from a state-permitted breeder, thus ensuring that he would be calm and comfortable for the entirety of his life as an ambassador. He has also been descented.
Odie