Spring Awakenings
Soon it will be the time of year again when trees begin to bud and the birds let us know that it’s almost time to once again enjoy the warm and welcoming great outdoors.
The long-awaited start of spring is coming. When nature awakens from its winter slumber and brings us the activity of wildlife looking for love — and oftentimes misbehaving in the process.
A sure sign that spring is here is that distinct smell that only a striped skunk can emit. As they emerge periodically during warm spells looking for that special someone to mate with (late February through March). Interestingly, they are not true hibernators, but will sleep deeply for up to three and a half months and as the weather warms, they become more active.
Skunks are not the only ones that have heard spring’s alarm to awaken. Woodchucks or groundhogs (true hibernators, they sleep from the first heavy frost until spring) begin their quest for love in February and March. They are most active in the early morning and evening hours. Here is a cool fact you may not have known about these interesting creatures, they have been known to climb trees as high as 20 feet.
Another animal making an appearance this spring is the masked raccoon. Their nocturnal behavior may lead us to believe that they have been hibernating during those cold winter days. However, they only sleep during the coldest days and are active on milder days. Raccoons have been busy mating during January and February and begin birthing during March, April and May.
This spring awakening is when unwanted confrontations may occur as these various critters search for new dwellings. You may be wondering what you can do to assure that their love den is not your home. Do you smell something stinky? Do you hear scratching in your attic? Do you see critters scampering under your porch? Then it’s time to contact a nuisance wildlife expert!