Harbinger of Spring?

Did you know that skunks hibernate?...well, you do now...and here they are known as a harbinger of spring. Once you've smelled skunk you are unlikely to forget the experience. I think it's similar to that 'tomatoes growing in a greenhouse' smell...only about a thousand times stronger.

You know that a skunk is around about half a mile (apparently up to 2.5 km on a windy day) away, and if it decides to make a family near you, you will be enjoying the smell for a long time.

My notions of the skunk stem from Pepé Le Pew, so I expected a ripe-smelling, cute animal with a french accent. The stink is overpowering, we had one near our deck one night which penetrated to the TV Room and our bedroom, that permeated for two days - and that was just walking by...you are warned never to drive over a dead skunk in the road - if you do you will not be able to remove the smell from your car...ever...!

Although skunks are indiginous to North America, they were actually introduced to PEI in 1915 when a skunk farm was a profitable idea. When the pelts failed to get a good market price, the skunks were released and began their smelly history.

10 things you may not know about skunks :-

1. The oldest skunk fossils are 10 million years old
2. The stinky liquid can be shot up to 5 m (16 ft) away with high precision towards a menacing person or animal. The skunk can send 3-6 jets of oily liquid at once (15 cubic centimeters), and the refilling of the reservoir takes up to 10 days.
3. Most skunks weigh between 1.3 and 6.3 kilograms (three to 14 pounds) and are between 54 and 77 centimetres (21 and 31 inches) in length.
4. Skunks are nocturnal, solitary and territorial. They live in forests, farms, grasslands, deserts, rocky areas with bushes and suburban areas. These mammals wander 0.4-0.8 km (0.25-0.5 mi) per night in search of food (females less than males), but when looking for sex, the male can roam 2.5 km (1.6 mi) per night. Skunks leave their dens by about 18:00-19:00 in the evening and return by 6:00 am. Sounds like Stalyvegas!
5. The females produce five to 12 kits or cubs in April or May
6. Males have territories of 6-11 square kilometers, overlapping those of several females. The maximum density is of 8.8 skunks per square kilometer.
7. The skunks have a penis bone 2.3 cm long (That got your attention!)
8. Remedies for the smell are peroxide or tomato juice...which all islanders keep in abundance, just in case
9. They don't have a french accent
10. They are incredibly cute (and can have their stinky glands removed and become a loving pet)

Anyway, the upshot of all this is that wherever you go at the moment, you're more than likely to smell skunk, which indicates that it is Spring....at last.

Eight degrees today and stunning...Earth hour tonight which is 8.30pm AT...(Do your clocks go back tonight???)

Happy 50th Anniversary to Basil & Alma!