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[RC] petting a skunk - k s swigart

Melissa Margetts said:


One reason I haven't chosen to live trap her and
take her somewhere else is that she is a great
"rodent control" expert and has kept the mouse
population down when I have so much grain around
for the other critters.


Not to mention the fact that, in Colorado, trapping her and releasing
her somewhere else is illegal.

"If you trap a striped skunk, state regulations do not allow you to
relocate or transport it. The striped skunk must be released at the site
of capture or it must be destroyed. Spotted and hognosed skunks may be
relocated after obtaining a permit from the Colorado Division of
Wildlife. Because these two species are protected, you may call the
Colorado Division of Wildlife at (303) 297-1192 for help in confirming
identification and/or obtaining recommendations for relocating them."

Full article (from Colorado State University) at:
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/natres/06500.html

Personally, I am of the opinion that live trapping ANY animal and
releasing it elsewhere is generally a pretty uncool thing to do.  If I
think the thing is a pest, I should be kind to everybody (including the
animal itself) and just kill it.  Displacing it to somewhere else is
going to disorient the animal, possibly upset the balance with the other
wildlife population, or dump it in some other person's vicinty so it
becomes their problem and not mine.

And certainly, dumping my semi-tame skunk (so it has no timidity around
humans and is habituated to people and considers them a source of food)
in somebody else's "backyard" is not something I would consider.  This
may be why there is a law against it in Colorado.

Far better to do as Melissa has chosen to do and keep the pet skunk
close to home.

kat
Orange County, Calif.
:)




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