Skunks are my favorite suburban wildlife.
Aug. 20th, 2013 02:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
enemyofperfectThey're great. They've got these in-your-face stripes that are all don't mess with me, and pretty much everyone knows not to[1], but they don't let it go to their heads. Skunks want to be left alone, but it's not like they go around hassling anyone else, either.[2] They pretty much just seem to do their own thing. It's refreshing.
Tonight I was coming in from a walk, and a couple of yards out I was like, oh hey, is something moving by the door?
And then I was like, OH HEY, A SKUNK IS MOVING BY THE DOOR!
Meanwhile the skunk, who had just come around the corner, was visibly realizing: holy shit, a human! So we both pulled up short, and the skunk put its tail up to remind me of the scent gland thing in case I'd forgotten, and I backed up a step to indicate that no, no, really I was perfectly aware.
And then we both retreated rapidly, because neither of us was looking for a fight, and the neighborhood is plenty big enough for both of us.
I just like skunks, people, I don't know. I mean, it's not like they're cuddly or anything.[3] But they're reasonable.
1. Except great horned owls, apparently. Great horned owls are hardcore and give no fucks; they wear skunk spray like it's perfume. (back)
2. I mean, apart from the smaller critters they crunch on -- they are omnivores. (back)
3. At least, wild ones aren't. (back)
Tonight I was coming in from a walk, and a couple of yards out I was like, oh hey, is something moving by the door?
And then I was like, OH HEY, A SKUNK IS MOVING BY THE DOOR!
Meanwhile the skunk, who had just come around the corner, was visibly realizing: holy shit, a human! So we both pulled up short, and the skunk put its tail up to remind me of the scent gland thing in case I'd forgotten, and I backed up a step to indicate that no, no, really I was perfectly aware.
And then we both retreated rapidly, because neither of us was looking for a fight, and the neighborhood is plenty big enough for both of us.
I just like skunks, people, I don't know. I mean, it's not like they're cuddly or anything.[3] But they're reasonable.
1. Except great horned owls, apparently. Great horned owls are hardcore and give no fucks; they wear skunk spray like it's perfume. (back)
2. I mean, apart from the smaller critters they crunch on -- they are omnivores. (back)
3. At least, wild ones aren't. (back)
