Alberta Campgrounds | Why Skunks Spray

Because skunks are native to this province, hikers and campers going to Alberta campgrounds may come face-to-face with this animal. However, knowing what to do in the situation. And being prepared in case they get sprayed. Can help ensure that people can manage this encounter without problem.

In fact, when skunks are around, it keeps other predators away. Because they have come to know that if they attack a skunk, they will have to deal with the spray, which can cause nausea and vomiting as well as temporary blindness.

Skunks are nocturnal creatures, and tend to only come out at dusk when they start foraging for their food. They eat insects, which makes them very handy around Alberta campgrounds. Helping keep the campgrounds test free. So that campers can enjoy camping without a lot of additional bugs.

Skunks also will stay away from campsites that have dogs. Because they are fearful of them. So it can help ensure that while they are eating the insects around the Alberta campgrounds. They are not coming into individual campsites very much. Giving campers a wide berth.

Skunks are actually very timid animals. And this is due to the fact that they do not have any other natural defences. Their main line of defence is running away. Only spraying their predators if they feel that is their only way of escaping with their life.

Skunks do not want to spray, because not only does it deplete their energy. It also leaves them defenceless for over a week. As their body makes more chemical.

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Therefore, they will give lots of indication that they feel threatened. In hopes that the predator will leave them alone. If people encounter skunks while on the trails in Alberta campgrounds. The best thing that they can do is simply stop moving.

By staying still, or very quietly and slowly moving backwards. They give the skunk enough room to run away safely. If the skunk does not run away. Or if they are with their babies. They might be even more defensive.

However, before they actually start spraying. They will do a number of defensive postures. To frighten their predators into running away.

This posturing can include stamping their feet and hissing. As well as acting like they are going to charge at the predator. They will not, and so people do not need to be worried if the skunk starts doing this. It is just their last effort to frighten the predator away before they spray.

Just before skunks praise, they will bend their body with their hindquarters aimed at the predator. And lift their tail. The glands that spray their defence is just under their tail.

By being aware that they might encounter a skunk, and knowing what to do and how to stay still and quiet. Can help many campers and hikers escape an encounter with the skunk. Allowing the animal to continue on their way. So they can continue their hiking or camping trip.

Alberta Campgrounds | Why Skunks Spray

When people go to Alberta campgrounds for camping or hiking. There is a good chance that they eventually will encounter a skunk.

Skunks are nocturnal. So they most likely time people will encounter them is when the sun starts to set, and they start waking up.

Skunks only spray as a last line of defence. However, even if people do their best to stay still, or avoid startling a skunk. They may end up on the receiving end of its spray.

Dogs are often getting sprayed. Because they do not know to back off once a skunk starts doing its posturing.

When people get sprayed by a skunk, it can cause skin rotation and temporary blindness if there sprayed in the eyes. And people need to act fast, in order to minimize those effects.

For the eyes, people should start rinsing their eyes with cool water in order to wash as much oil out as possible. For the rest of their body, it is important that they neutralize the oil that makes up the skunk spray.

People can do that by using an acid, which is why tomato juice has often been used as a skunk sprayed neutralizer. Because tomatoes are quite acidic.

However, anything acidic can help. And an effective solution is known to be percent hydrogen peroxide, mixed with baking soda. However, because the solution has a bleaching effect. People need to wash it off their skin, or their pets for very quickly. And avoid getting it in their eyes.

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Another effective solution at neutralizing the oil in the skunk spray. Is white vinegar. Mix white vinegar with water, and wash the body several times. Can help neutralize the oil and get rid of the smell.

People should avoid going indoors to do this treatment. Because while skunk spray can cause watery eyes, runny nose, nausea and vomiting. That is for anybody close enough to smell it.

And since the smell can travel five point 6 km away. In an enclosed space such as a home or trailer. Can be enough to make the people who are in that or trailer nauseous.

When people are going to Alberta campgrounds. Either for a hiking trip, or because they are going camping. They should ensure that they are packing skunk neutralizers such as hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, or vinegar.

While they may never encounter a skunk, or get sprayed. It should be considered a staple of campers. Just like a first aid kit is.

By knowing what to do when encountering a skunk. Can help ensure that people manage the situation calmly, and come out of it more likely not sprayed.

But if they do get sprayed, or if their pet gets sprayed. They will know exactly what to do to minimize rotation and neutralize the smell quickly and efficiently.

Fear of skunks not keep people from visiting Alberta campgrounds. Because ultimately, this timid animal does a lot more good than harm. And can help improve the bug situation. Making hiking and camping a lot more pleasant.