City of Markham rescues five baby skunks from backyard

By David Yin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

The City of Markham’s Animal Services department rescued five motherless baby skunks in a backyard near Milliken Mills on July 3.

A resident called Animal Services about a litter of baby skunks – known as kits – stuck in the resident’s window well. Animal Services advised the resident to place a board on the well to help the kits escape, then monitor them for several hours.

The kits’ mother did not return after 48 hours. Animal Services concluded that she most likely died from a car crash.

Animal Services took in the five kits and transferred them to Shades of Hope Wildlife Refuge in Georgina. There, the wildlife rescue centre will care for the kits and release them back into the wild.

Shades of Hope Wildlife Refuge is a registered charity that serves the Greater Toronto Area and other communities in south-central Ontario. The refuge treats sick, injured and orphaned animals until they can return to the wild. It is one of Ontario’s busiest rehabilitation centres, helping almost 7,000 wild animals yearly.

Christy Lehman, supervisor at Animal Services, said that protecting Markham’s wildlife is important towards maintaining the city’s ecosystems.

“A lot of people aren’t aware of wildlife and what its purpose is, and how they can help,” she said. “More often than not, they [the animals] are way more afraid of us than we are of them.”

The City of Markham recommends using bright lights, citrus fruits, or a water spray with castor oil and dishwashing detergent to repel skunks from a resident’s property. The city also recommends using bars of aromatic soap or a room deodorizer for smaller garden patches.

Residents should contact Animal Services at 905-415-7531 or [email protected] when they witness a potential animal in distress.

Visit markham.ca/permits-licences-taxes/animal-services for more information.

Photo: The City of Markham Animal Services department rescued a litter of five skunks on July 3.