Well, it happened. Again. The dogs ran into the cool night. I could tell they were on the scent of something. Barking, then a yelp, and as they came back to me, I knew what happened as I caught that all too familiar smell. Skunk. While it was not a direct hit, the pungent odor hung in the air and covered everything. Needless to say the dogs had to sleep outside in the kennel that night.

We’ve used this monthly article to point out the seasonal activity of many local wildlife: seeing bald eagles on the ice at Cheyenne Bottoms in January and February, migration season for Sandhill cranes in March, or mating antics of prairie chickens in April. The study of these seasonal phenomena is a field of biology called phenology. Year to year, it can be a fun activity to observe and document the predictable seasonal patterns of wildlife.

If one pays close attention to what the wildlife are doing around them, it can be pretty easy to pinpoint the time of year even without consulting a calendar.

So it is with skunks.

Around mid-February to early-March, motorists tend to notice a surge in road-killed skunks along roads. This unfortunate sight along the roads is a good index of the phenology of the skunks. Not surprising, this is the breeding season for skunks. While skunks do not hibernate during the winter, they do spend a lot of time in underground dens. With the first signs of warmer nights, most will emerge and become very active looking for and competing for mates. Hence, the increased encounters with cars on the roads, and dogs in our yards.

While not an animal most of us look forward to encountering, skunks are interesting, important members of our local landscape. With their glossy black fur and double white stripe, they are one of the most recognizable mammals in Kansas.

They are considered an omnivore, preferring mostly insects, but also dining on fruits, seeds, and eggs. Their ability to spray musk is very well known to anyone with a sense of smell. The musk is a sulfur-containing chemical the skunks produce and store in anal scent glands. When provoked, the skunks can accurately spray the chemical as a defense weapon. However, musk is a precious commodity, as the glands only hold enough for five or six uses. It then may take up to ten days to replace the supply. It does not take much though, as human noses can detect concentrations of up to 10 parts per billion in the air! Most home remedies for removing skunk smell are ineffective.

The silver lining of the increased chance of encountering skunks this time of year is that warmer Spring days are not too far away. Remember that, with the next skunk you see along the road. In the meantime, I think I’ll keep my dogs inside at night. But, they might need to spend a couple more nights out in the kennel for now.