Things Wildlife Rehabilitators Do With Skunks

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A wildlife rehabilitator is a valuable resource in any community, as these people are individuals who have experience and training to help care for animals that are in need, and if you do discover an animal needing help, a wildlife rehabilitator is often the right person to contact. The ultimate aim for a rehabber that is dealing with any animal is to be able to release the animal back into its natural habitat, and while this will not always be possible, they will try their best to release the animal once it is fit and healthy enough.



Injured Skunks

This is the first category of skunks that many rehabbers will work with, and with work ranging from splinting and healing broken bones to dealing with animals that have injuries requiring surgery, this is something that a rehabilitator will try to help. In many cases, the trauma and potential damage to the animal will make euthanasia a kinder option than treatment, but that is a decision that the specialist will sometimes need to make.

Orphaned Baby Skunks

Orphaned skunks provide a different challenge for the wildlife rehabilitator, as they will need to provide a lot of the support and training that is usually provided by the parent, and in some cases they can never be fully released into the wild. These animals also have more difficult dietary needs, as most of the food designed for pets will not be suitable until the baby skunk grows into a juvenile.

Assessing The Survival Chances Of The Animal

This aspect of the role of the wildlife rehabilitator is one of the most painful for the individuals themselves, as they will often need to make decisions about how realistic the chances of recovery are for the skunk. This is important however, as the individual will not have infinite resources, and will have to focus their attention on those that they can help the most.

Preparing A Skunk For Release Into The Wild

Another vital step in the process of dealing with skunks for the rehabilitator is preparing them for release, and this will often include exercises relating to hunting and foraging, and also exposing the skunk to the wild for a short period of time. This is always a tough time for the skunk and the rehabber, as they will often have developed a bond, but the animal will need to return to the wild so that they can live a full life. For more information, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
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