'Crazy' to put snap trap outdoors with baby skunk latest victim: Wildlife centre
Jane Stevenson -
© Provided by Toronto Sun
The striped skunk was found with a snap trap clamped onto his neck. The thin and dehydrated patient was given fluids and medicine to ease his pain. Now a healthy weight, he'll soon be ready to scurry off into the wild.
A young male baby skunk is recovering at the Toronto Wildlife Centre after being caught in a painful snap trap usually used for rats back on June 15 in Vaughan.
TWC executive director Nathalie Karvonen says, while the traps are legal, she was concerned this particular one was outside.
“The unusual part is for it to be set outdoors when wildlife can get into it,” said Karvonen.
“Sadly, these snap traps are used a lot but they used more indoors than outdoors. I mean, if you think about it, how crazy is it to put it outdoors? I mean anything could get in there including kittens and children’s fingers. It’s just not a good idea to put such a lethal trap outside.”
The baby skunk had its neck caught and clamped in the trap, which was in turn stuck in a fence, making it impossible for the animal to eat or drink.
“The fact that the skunk was quite thin and dehydrated would suggest it was (trapped for) quite a long time,” said Karvonen.
“Now it is possible that it was an orphan skunk to start with so it was thin and dehydrated and then got into the trap. I mean, really only the skunk knows.”
Animal Control delivered the baby skunk, who first showed signs of head trauma with neurological signs, to TWC but “luckily that resolved within a couple of days and now (the animal) is doing really well,” said Karvonen.
The skunk was given medication, fluid and food and will eventually be re-released within 15 km of where it was found.
The TWC, by the way, loves these animals who are frequently orphaned as the mother may have been hit by a car or trapped and moved away.
A young male baby skunk is recovering at the Toronto Wildlife Centre after being caught in a painful snap trap usually used for rats back on June 15 in Vaughan.
TWC executive director Nathalie Karvonen says, while the traps are legal, she was concerned this particular one was outside.
“The unusual part is for it to be set outdoors when wildlife can get into it,” said Karvonen.
“Sadly, these snap traps are used a lot but they used more indoors than outdoors. I mean, if you think about it, how crazy is it to put it outdoors? I mean anything could get in there including kittens and children’s fingers. It’s just not a good idea to put such a lethal trap outside.”
The baby skunk had its neck caught and clamped in the trap, which was in turn stuck in a fence, making it impossible for the animal to eat or drink.
“The fact that the skunk was quite thin and dehydrated would suggest it was (trapped for) quite a long time,” said Karvonen.
“Now it is possible that it was an orphan skunk to start with so it was thin and dehydrated and then got into the trap. I mean, really only the skunk knows.”
Animal Control delivered the baby skunk, who first showed signs of head trauma with neurological signs, to TWC but “luckily that resolved within a couple of days and now (the animal) is doing really well,” said Karvonen.
The skunk was given medication, fluid and food and will eventually be re-released within 15 km of where it was found.
The TWC, by the way, loves these animals who are frequently orphaned as the mother may have been hit by a car or trapped and moved away.
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“We love baby skunks, by the way,” said Karvonen. “They’re super cute. And skunks in general, including adults, are very, very gentle animals. They almost never try to bite us. Why would they try to bite us? ‘Cause they’ve got a little secret weapon, right?’”
Not so much love goes towards the snap traps.
“Of course, we don’t like the use of snap traps and I know they are legal for use. I mean our preferred first line of defence would be, ‘What is the problem that you’re having? And is there a long term solution for the problem?’”
In the case of rats getting into a house, Karvonen said they are usually large so “identify and block the points of entry, and then use humane rat traps and take them outside and release them.”
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