Skip to content

Wildlife centre gives skunk advice

Medicine River Wildlife Centre reminds public it does not have resources to pick up trapped skunks.
web1_skunks
Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Medicine River Wildlife is asking the public to please stop calling them to remove trapped skunks.

“The wildlife hospital and education centre does help people solve their wildlife conflict challenges but removing skunks is absolutely not one of the centre’s jobs,” says the centre in a message on Friday.

“The centre does not have the resources to drop everything and rush out at a landowner’s command to solve a problem that, in many cases, the landowner actually created.”

When dealing with issues such as problem skunks the wildlife centre seeks out the “root cause” of the issue.

Removing skunks often does not solve the problem, but can make it worse. Removing a large skunk from an area opens up territory for up to five younger males.

Trapping and moving all skunks from an area can just encourage others to take over the same territory. Access to more space and food leads litters to increase to eight to 10 little skunks.

The wildlife centre says removing food and den options while leaving the skunk alone often solves the problem. The centre has success with skunk problems in Red Deer and been able to reduce litters to two to four animals.

Before setting skunk traps, residents are encouraged to call the centre to get advice.

For information call 403-728-3467.