A wonderfully entertaining and educational show. The cinematography was fantastic, as were the skunks of course. I’m glad someone finally made a documentary of one of America’s most misunderstood mammals.
~Wild skunk rehabber in California
http://www.AnimalAdvocates.us

Brilliant program. Thank you. Skunks are the most interesting and entertaining animals in north america. Hopelessly misunderstood.

Best Nature Video I have even seen. PLEASE do a Part two and focus more on the “Domestic” version.

As a skunk, It is about time we were shown to be a “Good” animal, not the mean, rabies caring rodent we are very unjustly portrayed as. Rabies is Phobia from Data collected in the 1970s and is very very unjustified and unsupported by the modern facts and data. No one condones taking a pet skunk from the wild, but USDA Domestic breed skunks make excellent pets, which if properly cared for have virtually ZERO percent chance of getting rabies, unless you have a bat in your house.

I agree on a film on domestic skunks. I always thought skunks were black and white. I loved looking at all the colors of skunks. So the domestics are bred by breeders? Are there many breeders in the US? Do they all breed colors?

This is a WONDERFUL documentary that puts a face, a soul and a personality on some of the most misunderstood critters – Skunks. Skunks are just a cute, lovable, resourceful and vital to Mother Earth as are all of Mom Nature’s other critters. Thank you Deb, Jerry and all the wonderful people who love and care for skunks, whether they are domestic or wild skunks.

The world is a MUCH better place when we realize that we are ALL connected.

After all, “Anima” is the Ancient Latin Word for “Soul”, and truly the soul of the skunk is a most worthy addition to the panorama of existence in this world.

An amazing contribution. I see a hidden message that we often create things we don’t exactly like but must live with it none-the-less. Skunks simply do well because we keep providing for them by creating habitat edges they thrive in. We only have ourselves to blame, yet it’s not a bad thing to have these animals around..
Way to go Jerry and NOVA for their job on this program and our knowledge of these animals.

That was the best and most informative Nature show I have ever seen. I’m so glad that finally someone is showing the GOOD side of these beautiful intelligent creatures. I would not trade my pet skunks for anything!

Another wonderful NATURE progarm! I was not at all surprised by the connection between the feral cats and the unusually large population of skunks in Marysville. As an aside, did the citizens of Marysville consider a TNR—trap, neuter and release—program, a humane and effective method for controlling/stabilizing the feral cat population? If [they] are interested, there is ample info re TNR on the Internet or from Alley Cat Allies (as well as numerous other related non-profit groups).

Excellent program. As a professional wildlife controller a lot of good information was presented not only on the skunks themselves but as to why an individual may experience issues with them. The only suggestion I have is to show more of what to do when a skunk is encountered and the steps that homeowners can take themselves or have done to prevent future problems.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR DOING THIS VIDEO! Its about time everyone knows that skunks make great pets
I have 2 pet skunks and now that that im a skunk mom, I will alway’s have skunks as pets in my life!
They are so cuddly, loving, funny and warm.
Can you put this video on Animal Planet fpr more people to watch? Please make a skunk video 2.

o my goodness!I love skunks!they are so cute and the purfect pet i wish one day i can hlp them and own a couple when i grow up! Skunks rox my sox!!!

Well done, Nature. Attitudes are everything. A lot of the odor of skunk spray is in the mind. Yes, I concede it is a strong odor, but it is only fouler if you anticipate it to be so (and we are socialized to believe it is horrible and thus are not disappointed). If you change your mindset, you change the effect. For example: when you encounter road kill skunk, instead of immediately going “PU!”, try thinking about the fact that this odor was the skunk’s swan song; its raised fist against the terror that killed it. Respect that odor instead of shun it — surprisingly, it doesn’t smell as bad as it did (I’m not saying it doesn’t smell bad — just not AS bad).

Wonderful show! Never had a problem with skunks but raccoons are another story! Those feisty little buggers laugh at you!

My favourite animal, but sadly I’ve never seen one in real life. Watching this lovely documentary I’m almost tempted to up sticks and head over to the States to run a skunk sanctuary!

Now i know more about skunks and knowing is half the battle.

The one thing that did surprise me about this program is that skunks are now considered separate from the weasel family. That they are intelligent, resourceful, and adaptable are facts I expected. Like the coyote and racoon, skunks thrive in proximity to humans, and this shows just how versatile they really are.

I live in Marysville, CA, and the little critters are rather odoriferous, especially during the summer when windows are open. They really are adorable, the only problem I have with they is that they burrow in levees, which are crucial for our safety.

Wonderful show! I agree about a part two regarding domesticated skunks. It is true – they get a bad rap. We had a mom and babies living under our house once. We just ignored them and avoided sudden noises in the areas adjacent (no lawn mowing, etc) and they moved out and on their way. I have wanted a pet skunk all my life – maybe someday – in the meantime, more shows!! :) Thanks for such high quality programming on the Internet!

maybe those skink can do the staky leg ,because those skunk are stanky as hell.stankyer then 1,000,000,000,000 spoil boobooo.

Thank you for doing this piece, on perhaps the most misunderstood animals in the back yard. I “Discovered” skunks, upon rescuing one from the pool one morning. Near death, my wife and I were able to get it’s body temp back, and revive him. Now we are at the stage of hand feeding a half dozen skunks who frequent the back yard at night.They are very willing to sit in your lap, for bits of cheese. I find them to be very intelligent, and creatures of learned habits. With that knowledge, I have been able to teach them some tricks….or did they teach me…..Oh, never mind. They enjoy being brushed, and doing there tricks for rewards. Nice to discover I am not the only one with this endeavor.

I live in Beaverton, Oregon and i used to ride my mountain bike during the middle of the night over a park called Fanno Creek, so encounters with skunks where usual for me every night, somehow the skunks never sprayed that stinky smell on me, my bike has 2 powerful Trek headlamps allowing me to see what was in front of me at a distance of 90 yards, and the skunks never were scared or ran away, at the beginning i was littlebit afraid of being sprayed but after while seen ‘em everynight i just started feeling comfortable with ‘em, skunks are not mean or behave bad at all, very interesting known that some people are helping understand skunks more deeply, thanks.

STINKS! Which, for this program, is meant as a good review ;)

Yes, skunks are intelligent, independent and much maligned creatures of this world. I am a rehabber and have enjoyed them immensely. Once they earn your trust a skunk will not spray you. They love watermelon, and oh, do not feed them cat food. They are not related to cats and it is bad for them. Dog food on the other hand is the better choice of food along with lots of veggies which is their natural food in the wild.

I am in Sedona Arizona and just saw a skunk that was all white except his legs. I was shocked to see this as I was not aware that they didn’t just come in the striped variety! That is what led me to this site. Does anyone know how common a white skunk is?

Domestic skunks make outstanding pets for the right people. They are very independent animals, do not necessarily come when called, can get into stuff, and make big messes; may, or may not go in a litter box. They have delightful personalities. Have very different food requirements from a cat or dog. They can never have cat food, it will kill them. Then should never be caged – they will become very unhappy, and mean if caged. They can never be hit for a punishment, skunks never forget. Not many states allow skunks. There is no legal rabies vaccination as of yet, nor is there a quarantine period established as there is with other pets. 1981 was the last recorded year of a case of rabies being transmitted by a skunk. Imrab 3 has been proven successful. With enough people pushing we could eventually get domestic skunks legal in all states. Except, for of course California who can’t even get ferrets legalized. What a backward state. Diana Geiger Editor for http://exoticpets.bellaonline.com

A program like this refreshes us. Our public world is all about politics and traffic jams and the economy. All along the little skunks and other creatures in nature are doing their thing, untroubled by our troubles. I love looking into their world which they inhabit with us. Thank you.

I would like the recipe for the skunk smell rmover. It had hydrogen peroxide and other ingredients.
I loved the show.
Thanks

Great Doc….I Have rescued skunks for 8+yrs now, raised & released 40-50 all babies, where Mom has been killed by vehicle and/or people…..Beautiful animals, very intelligent! I consider skunks small dogs having raised two Black Labs in the last 30yrs…..Nice to see Dr Dragoo after hearing so much about him from (jessica)

One has ‘Big Sleepies’ with me ‘Dad’ every Night……They have changed me, The Creator’s favorite Ceature, think Black & White “Airborne Visible” D-Day like markings, with the Best ‘Non Lethal’ built in Defence mechanism in the world…..Somebody loved them Dearly :-) Tim

I would like the skunk smell remover recipe.

Wow! Great program and as it turns out, appropriate for our return home!! We caught the skunk show on a trip out of town only to return to a fragrant front porch and back deck. As I write this, my husband is playing Stevie Ray Vaughn music with the base high on the back deck. We realize, however, that our friend from last summer may have just sprayed and left for better territory. It would be great to hear some suggestions for washing down the porches. Would the peroxide mixture work on wood?

This is the show that got me hooked on skunks! I wish they were legal as pets in the state of New York. I flew out to Cleveland, OHIO just to meet Deb Cipriani at the 9th annual Skunk Fest in North Ridgeville, OH and so I could pet a de-scented skunk. I went alone – did not think anyone would want to go with me – and I had the best 24-hours enjoying all that I learned about skunks and getting to pet them. One day I will have a black and white female skunk – of course – I’ll have to relocate to a state that permits them as pets, but I will!

Thanks to people like Dragoon and Deb Cipriani who help to educate the public about skunks.

I am looking forward to attending the 10th Annual Skunk Fest in Ohio!

We once had 4 baby skunks occupy our back yard for a week. I called everyone I knew to try and get rid of them, and found how little people knew about them. Everyone was marked differently, only thing I found was that all had a white tip on their tail. They eventually went away by themselves.
Several years ago we were camping on Martha’s Vineyard and were warned that there were a lot of skunks around. I sat in the trailer looking out the door at the fire we had going, and my husband convinced me there were no skunks around. So I went outside to enjoy the fire only to have a skunk walk directly under my chair. I waited for him to leave and enjoyed the fire again, inside!
I did enjoy your program very much, but I still think I’ll keep my distance…

Having a problem with skunks at our home, this program was not only very entertaining, but extremely informative. I have always had the common fear of getting “squirted” by a skunk. Now, I won’t be nearly as fearful of the precious ‘perfume’.

I have been trapping them and have called animal control to retrieve them, whick results in injecting them for death. I hated that part of it, but understood the officer’s position.

Now, I intend to try the radio with a lot of bass technique.

Lots of people consider skunks to be pest. They are so wrong without skunks,raccoons,coyote’s, animals that are considered pest we would be up to our necks in mice, rats and pesky insects like termites. Yes they get into trash bins and make a mess of it, That’s our fault for being careless and lazy. People need to now the value of these animals and maybe someday they would get the respect they deserve.

According to Man vs Wild skunks not only smell horrible, they tastes horrible

Glad to see I’m not the only person who is a fan of skunks. NATURE, thanks for doing a show that treats this misunderstood and maligned neighbor of ours with respect. It is just as important- arguably more important- to educate the public on animals we encounter every day, as it is to educate us on the elusive animals most of us will never see. So bring on more episodes on squirrels, opossums, raccoons, rabbits and coyotes.

Found a very young (eyes not opened) stripped (wild) skunk in the middle of a road..She was screeching loudly as skunks do when they are terrified..She crawled into my hand and I instantly feel in love with her..Carried her everywhere I went in my T-shirt pocket for the first few weeks..Feed her from a small bottle..No one ever knew she was with me in public..LOL..

She was potty trained in just a few weeks..She was very private about potty time..So I had three trash cans layed on their side through out the house with kitty litter.. She would not go anywhere but in the trash cans.. She had to be underneath a covering before she would use the potty..

She grew to be one and half years old (never descented)..She never sprayed.. I have many, many found memories of our friendship.. She started showing signs of being very weak.. She could hardly walk 10 feet and she would have to rest..I had done research on the internet and came to the conclusion the she had phenomena..I could find no one that would treat her.. she passed away shortly..

Skunks are without a doubt, by far, my favorite animal..

I miss and love this skunk very much, we where very close friends..I do not call her my pet, seems so non personal.. Thanks for the wonderful film..

Her name was NIKKI..

I said it before, and I’ll say it again. This is the show that got me hooked on Skunks! I went to the 9th Annual Skunk Fest alone in Sep. 2009 and again to the 10th Annual Skunk Fest Sep. 2010. I urge you all to look up Skunk Haven online, and either Sponsor a Skunk and/or donate by looking at the wish list.

I have been to the shelter in Ohio and Deb Cipriani is so knowledgeable, passionate and compassionate with these beautiful, smart and fun Skunks – domestic AND wild – with and without spray capability, i.e., de-scented or not de-scented.

One day – I will have to move to Florida where Skunks are legal as pets and there is an ocean for me to sun bathe on the beach.

I will be at the 11th Annual Skunk Fest in Sep. 2011. Hope to see more newcomers and regular attendees as well. Great Event – good people, good food, fun event and skunks galore!

See you all next Skunk Fest!

Finally,I know the topic of this article.In my opinion,it is resonable.

I have been a skunk rehabber for 10 years now. I am so thankful for this program showing the truth about skunks. Skunks really get a bad rap out of all the wildlife. The most difficult part is fighting people’s misconceptions about them. Here in CA the biggest killer of skunks is trapping the mother and leaving behind her litter of babies to die a slow and horrible death. Please feel free to email me at cfowler@socal.rr.com or go to my facebook page (Chris Fowler) for more info on these wonderful creatures. Thanks again for making this film!

This live video is very much interesting. What leads me to this video, actually, is a skunk hanging out at my house. I came home one night only to find one in my bushes. I quickly ran in, & got on the computer to do a lil research…so here i am.

I loved Thumbelina!! Very educational program, sorely needed. Thank you for all your hard work, dedication & commitment.

We need to keep PBS well funded, especially to keep programs like this on the air. Thanks PBS!
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I grew up in the Central Valley across the Feather River from Marysville in a western rural suburb of its “twin city,” Yuba City, so watching this was like going home again. I have since spent the majority of my life in Humboldt County, so again, a taste (smell?) of home! I’ve lived around striped skunks all my life, and have never had an issue about them.

It wasn’t until I moved to Humboldt and went camping at Mill Creek Campground a few miles SE of Jedediah Smith Park / Smith River that I saw a spotted skunk in the flesh. Cutest thing ever—I wanted to take it home! I had no idea that they were so small (we thought it was a juvenile until it got up close enough that we could see it was clearly an adult), and have now learned (thanks to this program) that the spotted skunk is the smallest of our native species.

This skunk had the characteristic fearlessness that I’ve always associated with the striped skunk, but the Nature program implied that they were shy by comparison. This one was unafraid of people—in fact, it walked right up to each of us at the camp clearly seeking a hand out (it sat up on its haunches right in front of me begging like a puppy—way increased the cuteness factor). This camp ground was locally famous for its “tame” wildlife. For years people freely fed the animals that visited the campsites, and they all learned (and were probably taught by their mothers) that friendly humans were an easy mark for table scraps and marshmallows! This skunk would easily have accepted food from our hands. We didn’t feed it, though—we didn’t want to encourage rude behaviour, and we didn’t want to contribute to its dependence on people. But, I tell you, it was sore tempting to slip the pretty little thing a bit of hamburger! To mention: It was not only adorable, but it was strikingly beautiful as well—the patterns of spots on its head and shoulders were especially lovely, and it had a nice full tail.

To the person who saw a skunk that was largely white, except for it’s feet: The amount of white can vary quite a bit. I’ve seen skunks that had hardly more than thin pin stripes of white, while others had broad white bands with tails that were almost entirely white. The one you saw is pretty extreme and may have been a case of partial albinism.

I would caution anyone wanting to keep a skunk as a pet. Two or three people on the show noted that they don’t come when you call, etc. They don’t follow rules, generally. I’ve heard this about ferrets, too. I had a cousin who kept a wild-born skunk, and he remarked that it presented quite a challenge in the discipline and training dept. Skunks are opportunistic foragers, so their instinct tends to extreme nosiness and, when awake, they are constantly busy engaging in food-searching behaviour. One of my cousin’s issues was that his pet would tear things up and make a messy clutter of the house by simply going about its skunky business and playing. He couldn’t be broken of this no matter how many toys and play structures he was provided. It’s just how they are. So, if you want to keep a skunk, you should think hard about the amount of effort and time you are willing and able to put in to keeping them healthy and happy (while keeping yourself sane).

Another acquaintance had a wild-born skunk, and he would enrich his pet’s feeding experience (and dispel some of its energy) by burying its food under things like balled up newspapers, packing peanuts, toys and other interesting objects (and always in the same place) where it could “forage” for its dinner rather than just eat boringly from a dish. He also occasionally fed it live foods like large mealworms, which added some eating interest.

Now, in each case, these were wild-born skunks. I don’t know if domesticated ones might have had some that “busy-ness” bred out of them so that they are more laid back or not.

This is pure LUCK!!! We just watched this show on Sunday night and what do you know, my dog was sprayed by a skunk last night. I remembered the man giving a recipe to break down the odor and I HAD to find this episode. Going to give it a try!!! Thank you so much PBS for posting episodes online. I hope the recipe works!
Thanks,
Nicki

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This was an excellent episode, however. . .

I was very disappointed that the filmmakers did not use the song “Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road”.

The recipe to remove skunk smell:
MIX in a bucket OUTSIDE, never in the house, and LEAVE ON THE DOG for 5 Minutes before rinsing well with water. DO NOT GET this in the dogs eyes:
1 Quart of 3% hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp of detergent.
Mix well. Put this on the dog where it was sprayed. Leave on for 5 minutes to allow time to break down the skunk chemicals. Rinse well with water.

I might be crazy but, the notion has been nagging me for some time that perhaps the largest favor we could do for the African poor would be to kill off all that hazardous wild life. The presence of lions, hyenas, hippos, wildebeests, zebras (which injure far more zoo personnel than any other animal – why they can not be domesticated) have to crowd out enormous amounts of resources too as creating life just too hazardous. How absolutely free can poor subsistence farmers feel to innovate or invest when their just about every movement is hemmed in by an open zoo? I would knock off each crocodile on earth too. They’re a danger to kids everywhere they live (Australia). I personally could be willing to see every alligator go too (two legs excellent; four legs bad me) but alligators to my understanding are smaller and have a tendency to eat (when a month?) smaller prey (birds, your family members dog but almost certainly not you). Think of how profitably domesticated herds could use the same vast natural resources employed by useless to poor people wild herds and their natural predators. I’m perfectly serious about this even if crazy or badly ill informed or both. PS. In a hundred years you’ll give your kid a DNA set for Christmas and she can make a Tyrannosaurs whatever. In two hundred they only place you might uncover homo sapiens could be the zoo. So do not worry too much about “irreplaceable” species.

Sorry about the weird title I just needed something to catch your attention :(, my question is what do I do, my ex misses me but only wants to he friends I have come to know this through one of her best friends who tells me everything and helps me out, so yeh what do I do I’m currently not talking to her and I am using the no contact rule where u just give her space and during this period of time where i just give her space she’s attempted to contact me three times it’s just she’s stopped now and I came to know that she wants to be friends and misses me today, truth is i don’t want to be her friend i want to be more than that, is there anybody out there with experience an knowledge that can help me out here ? Thanks

I have had quite a few experiences since I moved to San Diego over 30 years ago. Although brought up in the country I only saw one skunk in the wild but smelled them all the time. Where my ex and my sons lived there was the biggest blackest furriest skunk I had ever seen and I saw a lot of them in San Diego. He had to weigh well over 10 lbs and was legend in his neighborhood. One night we heard my ex yell skunk along with a lot of foot pounding. The poor skunk ran down the sidewalk with my ex 5 ft behind him. He was too scared to stop and spray. He scooted through the gate and took refuge by the wall (this house was behind another house also with heavy vegetation). My own personal experience was with a few baby skunks. I was outside in the middle of a paved area where I was on-site security and lived on the site. A couple of baby skunks were playing around the house in the early darkness. I had fired up the Weber again to do the s’mores when my older son yelled to me and I yelled back. A little white patch bounded away from me at a high clip. He had been under my chair! Cutest thing I ever saw. At the same place right after we moved in my daughter and I watched from the rear window a cub fox and an equally young skunk in a dare-devil game. The fox was trying to charge the skunk and the skunk was in his balancing act of handstand with his fanny and tail curled over his back ready to fire. I never knew skunks did that till then. The fox got the message finally and ran off. My daughter ran out and then retreated. The skunk was still in firing position and turned to aim at her. Another time same place a young skunk about 4 months old was running through the flower bed across the lawn from the sidewalk i was checking doors with. My daughter came through the breezeway just as the skunk got to it. She didn’t see the skunk till he started through the breezeway and then she ran shrieking at the top of her lungs while he followed her through. Another adventure was when I came down an outside staircase and scared an skunk into running around the cafeteria where he met up with my husband who stomped at him. he wheeled and ran back towards me and dove under the staircase when he spotted me. Poor skunk was quite winded by tha time. We were there 3 years and never got shot once. We did everything to those skunks. A guy opening the gym one night opened the door to go outside and got shot. No one could figure out why. Now where I work we also have skunks and people are so afraid of them. I tell them just make a noise with keys or start talking to them and give them an escape route and they won’t shoot. The antics of the kids at night and the adult employees around skunks is worth the price of admission.

My wife and I by chance would have it our neighbors brother called me over to show me a baby animal that he had picked up after the mother had been killed. I didn’t even know what it was. It was so small, about the size of a newborn rabbit. I was shocked when he told me it was a skunk and asked me if I wantedit,I didn’t even hesitate, I said definitely and our experance began. We had to feed her,yeah a female,with an eye dropper. We never desecented her and she only sprayed once, when I tapped her on the tail for turning over water bowl when I didn’t give her her favorite peice of candy. She only sprayed a few drops but then rolled in it and Hated it, never sprayed again. We took her with us practically everywhere with us . She didn’t realize she was a skunk. We loved her as she was part of the family, even slept with us. Fantastic pet and we would love to get another, we never caged her and she never ran off. We had her for around two and a half years then we had visitor, a male skunk,she came back alone frequently until we had move.We still miss her, and reminess often.She’s FiFi Jones.

Fantastic analysis here! I wish someone could do this for my home page. It’s incredible the impact tweaking just a few choice words can have.

i love the skunks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CCCCCCCCUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3

i love these little guys and they should be more reconized for what they are here for!!god blees their little hearts n people should stop hitting them with their cars..so heart breaking.long live the skunks…

I believe that it’s best to write more on this topic. It won’t be a taboo subject but usually people are not sufficient to talk on such topics.

Cool program. I know a great deal about all mammals in my area W.N.Y. I learned I did not know so much about skunks though! I love these little animals, they are very interesting, pretty etc. I do a great deal of varmint hunting, have many problem animals on my property. However, skunks are not on the varmint list no matter what. They might dig in the flower beds once in awhile, but no matter, they dont do much harm. Besides, watching skunks is captivating to me. I have approached skunks very close (in range of skunk spray) I always move slow and talk softly to them, and pay attention to the animals body language. Have never even caused one to take a defensive posture. They are just so cute and cool. This program was very enlightening. I also enjoyed the program about Crows that PBS showed awhile back. Its funny that crows and skunks are so maligned but are my favorite animals!
Like I said, I’m a big varmint hunter, but not of crows and skunks. They are 100% protected creatures on my property.
We had a skunk hanging out were I work, it was awesome going outside on my break, and every day the little black skunk would be by the dumpster. He had very markings. Poor little guy, after watching him for a few weeks, I found him dead in the road. Poor guy, I’d even named him and was in the process of “making friends” with it.