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As Valentine’s Day arrives, we find ourselves in a familiar ritual: expressing love through the purchase of greeting cards and floral bouquets. If my skepticism about this commercialized celebration catches you off guard, you might be new to my musings. Yet, despite the commercial hullabaloo, this mid-February day carries the promise of spring. Even here in the cold embrace of the Susitna Valley, where snow blankets the ground three feet deep, the days stretch longer, and the cheerful melodies of chickadees signal the seasonal shift.
However, in certain locales, the essence of spring wafts in with a unique aroma. Take San Rafael, California, for example, where the local skunk population is unmistakably channeling the season’s romantic vibes. It appears that some of these creatures are more romantically inclined than others.
Now that’s what you call turning down an unwanted advance with flair!
The Striped Skunk, known scientifically as Mephitis mephitis, is a fascinating creature. These animals possess the remarkable ability to transform their rear ends into formidable chemical defense systems. They are not just adept in this regard; they are also swift, agile, clever, and inquisitive. During my childhood in Allamakee County, Iowa, my father, with some hesitation, welcomed their presence due to their superior mousing abilities compared to any feline. He simply advised us kids to keep our distance. Being predominantly nocturnal, skunks were often more detected by scent than sight.
Reflecting on those days, it seems spring was indeed the season when their distinctive aroma was most prevalent.
The perpetrators? Female striped skunks rebuffing the “unwanted advancements” of males during their mating season, which lasts from January through March. Skunk babies are typically born by May.
“What’s happening is the males are pursuing the females, and if the female is not interested, she sprays them,” Melanie Piazza, the director of animal care and hospital operations for WildCare, told SFGATE. “It’s their defense for predators, but it’s also their defense for, you know, unwanted Valentine’s Day advancements.”
Now that’s how you reject an advance, ladies.
The Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is a curious beast. They can not only turn their rear ends into chemical weapons projectors, but they are also quick, nimble, intelligent and curious. Back in my youth in Allamakee County, Iowa, my Dad reluctantly encouraged them to hang around, as they are better mousers than any cat. He just cautioned kids to give them a wide berth, and being that they are nocturnal critters for the most part, we generally only knew they were around by the smell.
And, now that I think back on it, spring does seem like the time we smelled them – a lot.
Skunks are members of the order Mephitidae, and the Striped Skunk shares the genus Mephitis with the Hooded Skunk, while the Spotted Skunk, common in the United States south and southwest, is a member of the genus Spilogale. Then there’s the Hognose Skunk, found in America’s southwest, which is a member of the genus Conepatus.
All of them can and will spray you.