LANSING, Mich. ( WLNS ) — Love is in the air and that means seeing more pungent pests in the neighborhood.
“It’s the skunk breeding season. So through February and March, they are up and moving and looking for a mate,” Rachel Lincoln, a wildlife outreach coordinator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said.
Watch your pets: Coyote breeding season means more encounters
She said recent warm, spring-like temperatures have had cupid’s arrows looking for love that stinks. After wintering through the worst weather, the animals are looking for food, too. Because skunks are adaptable, they’ve taken up residence right beside us.
“We create skunk habitat really well, too,” Lincoln said. “Our porches and patios and decks, while they’re nice places for us to sit on top of, skunks will take up residence below because they’re sheltered from the elements.”
While the skunk’s distinct perfume may concern some, the proximity comes with a public health concern. Last year, in Michigan, 19 skunks were confirmed to have rabies. The only species with more cases were bats, Lincoln said. Skunks also carry a canine distemper. Both viruses can sicken dogs and rabies can sicken other mammals, including people.