Skunks and Hedgehogs

My recent posting on accidental and deliberate species introductions generated some interest. I have been contacted by three people who say that they have seen Skunks in the British countryside. All at different locations too, so it is likely that Skunks are here and here to stay, as unofficial estimates are that over one thousand have been released into the environment.

While personally keeping an open mind regarding the impact of this upon the environment, history shows that alien species have a detrimental effect upon the ecosystem. Therefore the Skunks will change the ecology in the countryside. I say that I have an open mind as an introduced species may not be a disaster. In Britain the Little Owl is an introduced species that produces benefits as it often nests and hunts around farmland taking beetles and invertebrates that can be an agricultural pest. While others like the Edible Dormouse are just benign, not causing any problems nor really creating any benefits either.

While the reality is that when alien species are introduced they most often have a devastating effect upon natural flora and fauna. In Britain the best known case is that of the Grey Squirrel. They displace and out compete the Native Red Squirrel. Also because they carry the “Squirrel Pox” virus, and while the Eastern Grey Squirrel are not effected by the virus, it kills our Native Red. Therefore to save the remaining population of Red squirrels there has to be some form of control. This has to be at the intersections where the greys are kept out of the areas where the reds remain. Unpleasant and distasteful to some, but if this work was not done to conserve the Red, it would be lost, extinct, in ten to fifteen years.

It is likely that something similar will need to be done with the Skunk. Already live trapping is being tried to remove the Skunks from locations where they have been irresponsibly released. It maybe that the Skunk will not become established in the British countryside, but personally I will not be placing a bet on that outcome.

It was also curious that my friends in America were saying that we in Britain really did not want to have Skunks in the wild, but would be happy if our native hedgehog appeared in their environments. What was curious was that just two weeks ago I had seen a Hedgehog out foraging.

I have seen them out before, but normally I would just hear them as they displace the leaves. As they are active at night, they are rarely seen, but as they have the defence mechanism of rolling up into a ball, they seem less bothered about making sounds of movement that do most mammals. While this protection helps them avoid most predictors, I have also seen Badgers eat them, and Badgers can unroll them thus overcoming the Hedgehogs defences.

I would have dashed back out with the cameras at the time, but I was on a mercy mission. My better half had an upset tummy (was it my cooking?), and I had gone out to get something to settle her. While she would have let me go off and be my eccentric self, it would not have been fair on her. So this time I missed the chance to film the Hedgehog. Who knows I may get to film one in the Spring.