Skunks still spray in good health in Florida

When Florida's Fish and Wildlife in West Palm hadn't recieved more than one skunk nuisance call in 8 years, they were worried. Sure, it was good that skunks weren't getting into garbage cans or nesting under people's porches, but skunks are an important part of Florida's ecology, eating rodents and insects, and themselves being eaten by such creatures as owls. But skunks are alive and well all over Florida, though they grow less common the farther south you go. A general call out on the F&W website recieved 1,820 replies of skunk sightings and sniffings. A survey of 1000 biologists, animal control people and wildlife rehabbers didn't reveal such overwhelmingly positive results, but still, skunks don't seem done for yet. Todd Axten, one of the nuisance animal control people asked, was worried when he heard skunks might be endangered in Florida. A former pet skunk owner, he has a 'soft spot' for skunks. "They have that ferret face. They're a big fluff ball."