Skunks have just lately been making their presence recognized on Staten Island.
Shutterstock / Jemini Joseph
Twenty years after its gigantic rubbish dump closed, Staten Island nonetheless stinks — as a result of it’s overrun by skunks.
The semi-bucolic borough, already dwelling to 1000's of nuisance white-tailed deer, has seen its populations of coyotes, foxes and raccoons surge, specialists say. However the skunks are actually making their presence recognized.
“My neighborhood undoubtedly has a pet skunk,” mentioned Ashley Goldberg, of Bulls Head. “I see it once I stroll the canine at night time and am terrified!”
The stinkers are native to the tristate space however had been largely worn out many years in the past due to pesticides, rabies and habitat loss, specialists mentioned.
Satirically, one of many causes they're rebounding is as a result of the huge Contemporary Kills Park has sprouted up on what was as soon as the most important landfill on the planet, creating tons of of acres of pure habitat.
“They’ve undoubtedly change into extra ample,” mentioned Mike Shanley, of Huguenot, who has encountered skunk households in his yard and the grounds of Staten Island Academy on Todt Hill, the place he teaches. “They’re undoubtedly breeding, and are established — its not just some people coming over from Jersey.”
The skunks stink, scare and spray pets, and undergo residential trash, mentioned some householders. Their return reeks for unsuspecting residents who wish to keep away from being sprayed by Pepé Le Pew.
“I’m all the time scared as a result of the canine stops and stares,” Goldberg mentioned. “I’m normally working away!”
Goldberg mentioned her neighborhood skunk moved in beneath a neighbor’s deck previously 12 months. A number of different lifelong Islanders informed The Publish they’ve seen their first skunk throughout the previous 12 months.
Metropolis Park Rangers and wildlife specialists named not less than eight island parks that skunks are recognized to frequent, together with Willowbrook Park, Wolfe’s Pond and Westerleigh Park. NYC Parks inspired individuals to watch skunks from a distance, and mentioned they usually stomp and hiss warnings earlier than spraying.
“The scent is overpowering,” mentioned Annadale resident Anthony Graziano, who smells skunk commonly whereas strolling alongside a wooded stretch on his morning commute. “I spent 9 months upstate throughout the pandemic, so I do know the odor. Once you odor it at 6 a.m. you recognize its not some children smoking weed.”
However some, like Howard Fischer, of Grymes Hill, take pleasure in their new neighbors — even after just lately discovering two lifeless skunks in his driveway.
“The excellent news is they're undoubtedly again and round, the unhealthy information is I see so many lifeless,” Fischer mentioned. “There are too many roads.”
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