The Town of Edson has received a number of skunk related calls over the past week. Please note that skunks are outside of the purview of local bylaw/animal control officers. Town crews will remove dead animals from Edson roadways (Alberta Transportation for the highways), but for live animals you’re encouraged to contact a pest control company for trapping/removal.
Skunks are no cause for alarm and play an important role in the eco-system. In the fall, skunks are busy eating and building up fat reserves for winter dormancy. They eat a lot of grubs and other harmful insects, fallen fruit, and garbage. Aside from the smell if agitated, skunks are a relatively harmless. That being said, they can be a nuisance, especially for dog owners.
Here are some tips to help prevent skunks from moving into your property
- Keep pet food or water inside overnight.
- Keep garbage/organics bins tightly closed.
- Clean and tidy yards.
- Remove items such as trash, loose lumber piles, and old vehicles where skunks could use for shelter.
- Fully seal off all openings around and under buildings and mobile homes.
- Use chicken wire around the bottom of decks or on the ground to prevent burrowing.
- Bright lights or mothballs may cause a skunk to leave from under steps or a building.
Alberta Environment and Parks has some great information on skunks
http://aep.alberta.ca/fish-wildlife/human-wildlife-conflict/skunks.aspx
More info
https://pestcontrolcanada.com/wildlife-control/skunks/
