06/12/2025
Ez-clean works on skunk smell. Ez-clean will remove skunk smell from many surfaces that skunks may come in contact with.
We live in a world where we are beginning to practice a more proactive approach to Living With Wildlife. One of the best examples of understanding the animal and working to solve the problem, not just eliminating it, is the years of work done by our team at Medicine River Wildlife Centre.
10 years ago, when Alberta Animal Services and Fish & Wildlife asked us to take over the skunk situation in Red Deer, the city was experiencing a skunk population explosion. Each year there were nearly 100 skunks trapped and euthanized but still the numbers were climbing.
With loads of research and some trial and error, we came to realize it was the elimination of the skunks that was causing the problem. When a "problem" animal is removed from an area without changing what attracted them in the first place, the next females to find the area fill the void with larger litters. Also, research shows that if a big male who owns the territory is removed, up to 7 younger males will take over. In our first years we saw litters ranging 8 - 12. An average spring would have us with 16 landowners waiting to evict female skunks with young.
We began the work of education, teaching landowners to eliminate attractants, such as easily accessed burrowing spots, pet food, open compost, and garbage. We stopped trapping and removing and began evicting instead. Red Deer City added to the solution by providing garbage bins.
Today, calls are down by 50% and most are from people simply seeing a skunk passing through, wondering what to do. Average litter sizes now range from 2-4 and this spring only 1 landowner is on the waiting list to evict a family.
With understanding, creativity, and cooperation we can resolve most challenges. Thank you for your help!
