Research on Skunks Underway
Skunks may not be the friendliest of visitors, but their role in society is bigger than most know. From eating insects and rodents to foraging on old plant materials, the popular mammals serve a very good purpose.
Yet, while these animals hang out under porches or even stroll through town, little research looks at their everyday living patterns. That is why a team of researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are conducting a detailed study on striped skunks in Southern Illinois to build a better understanding of the habitats and behaviors of the small creatures.
The research starts with Clay Nielsen, professor in the forestry degree program and the cooperative wildlife research laboratory at SIU, and Augustin Jimenez, associate professor in the zoology degree program. As a second-year PhD. student in agricultural sciences, Katelyn Amspacher also works closely on the project.
After noticing the hole in research surrounding the common striped skunk in the Midwest, the team set out to trap local skunks and monitor their habitats and behaviors. Starting last fall they began trapping on the SIU campus, in local Carbondale neighborhoods and streets, at Giant City State Park and at the Touch of Nature Environmental Center.
“Specifically, our goals are to examine striped-skunk survival across that range,” Amspacher said. “We are really interested in learning about what types of habitats they are using, where they are going and just more about their life in general. We are also evaluating how their behaviors might change between more urban areas and national forests.”
The team also looks at the impact humans have on skunks and their natural habitats. As a generalist animal that can be found anywhere from Canada to Texas, striped skunks have adapted to human presence and have incorporated themselves well into civilization.
“Skunks have great personalities,” Amspacher said. “They even used to be popular as pets.”
The trapping started last spring and will commence again in the upcoming warmer months, with the goal of trapping 20 to 30 skunks this semester. The team will be trapping for the next 12 to 18 months, watching the animals in both Carbondale and those closer to protected parks and forests.
“We have traps set in places that skunks might pass through, such as game trails,” Amspacher said. “Once we have a skunk trapped, we put it under anesthesia for a few minutes to place a radio collar on the animal.”
The group then monitors the skunk’s activities and visits them between three and five times a week, both during the day and at night.
Skunks often get a bad reputation due to their smelly nature. However, when a skunk is startled, their first reaction is not to spray, Amspacher explained.
They usually hunker down and watch the intruder to evaluate the threat. This gives the team time to carefully handle and mark the skunks without everyone leaving the field in need of a strong bath.
This research project fits under SIU’s Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, and is funded through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The trapping is set to continue until 2020, and then the team will analyze the data and publish their findings.
