Skunks may be making a comeback in Illinois

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Based partly on the number of dead skunks littering Illinois roadways, biologists believe the species is making a comeback.

"Based on our road kill survey between February 2006 and January 2007, our biologists saw about 17 percent more road kill that in the previous year, which is creeping back up there," said Bob Bluett, a wildlife biologist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. "We had a rabies outbreak in the early '80s, which caused the population to decline dramatically.

"It's pretty much stayed at a low level compared to prior to the outbreak. It bounces around a little bit, but we are increasing slowly as an overall trend since 2000."

Most skunk road kill occurs in late winter when skunks begin mating.

"Typically, they peak in February when they start to breed," Bluett said. "We have had some mild winter conditions. They don't truly hibernate, but they do hunker down when we get snow cover or the temperature gets cold."

In addition to illnesses such as rabies, weather conditions play a major role in skunk survival. Harsh winters and drought conditions have adverse effects on the skunk population.

Bluett said skunks are the primary reservoir for rabies in the Midwest. In other areas of the country foxes, bats or raccoons are the primary carriers. However, the number of rabid skunks has decreased significantly since the 1980s epidemic.

Few enemies

Because of its odorous defense mechanism, skunks have few natural enemies, including man. Skunk fur has never been in great demand.

"There aren't too many things that really care to tangle with a skunk," Bluett said. "Some of the raptors will, particularly owls. Skunks are nocturnal for the most part. Owls are nocturnal. They're the ones that are more likely to pick them off. And they don't have a sense of smell, so it doesn't bother them."

Other than their offensive odor, the amount of skunk vs. human interaction is limited.

"They're really good at going after those grubs that grow in your lawn," Bluett said. "That's also one of the reasons they are frequently picked up by guys with nuisance permits. They can do a lot of damage. Golf courses hate them."

Most of the skunk's diet is insects and berries. However, they also feed extensively on mice.

"They're good mousers around farms," Bluett said. "They'd out-mouse a cat easily."

Over the years skunks have shown an ability to coexist with humans.

"They're adaptable in the sense they can live in grasslands, edge habitats and industrial parks," Bluett said. "These guys have always managed to eke out a living in residential areas, at least to my knowledge.

"On a larger scale, grasslands are important to them. If you had to throw them into a category, that's where they'd have to go. The amount of grassland plays into their population dynamic."

In most instances, skunks are docile creatures. They use their scent defensively.

"They're nearsighted, so a lot of times you're on them before you know it," Bluett said. "They have do have different temperaments. When I've been involved with studies where we've been live trapping and you catch a skunk, when you come up to the trap they tolerate you real well.

"Others, as soon as they realize you're there, their tails go up and they're ready for you."