{"id":10435,"date":"2021-12-09T08:00:21","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T08:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lafayettepark.org\/staging_5\/?p=10435"},"modified":"2021-11-17T17:04:21","modified_gmt":"2021-11-17T17:04:21","slug":"king-of-the-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lafayettepark.org\/staging_5\/king-of-the-road\/","title":{"rendered":"KING OF THE ROAD"},"content":{"rendered":"
BY\u00a0KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\n
There\u2019s a wonderful word\u2014one of my favorites \u2014 to describe creatures that are active at dawn and dusk. Crepuscular<\/em>. There are plenty of them so the great outdoors gets lively when the light is low, making dusk and dawn excellent times to see wildlife.<\/h5>\n
That is, unless you\u2019re in a car.<\/h5>\n
Challenging light conditions can conceal an animal near the road and reduce a driver\u2019s response time when something darts out. While driving at twilight, it\u2019s important to scan the shoulders for movement or for the telltale shine of eyes reflecting headlights. Vehicles are a constant threat to wildlife… my time at a rehabilitation center provided more than enough evidence to support that statement. I should know better. But, lost in thought on my way to the mall, I didn\u2019t see the Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis<\/i>) until he had sauntered into the middle of my lane.<\/h5>\n
I wasn\u2019t on a major thoroughfare. Until he appeared I had the road to myself. Luckily, I wasn\u2019t going very fast so I had time to cede the right of way. Good thing, too, because I knew better than to expect this black-and-white tough guy to blink. In fact, he stopped and turned to stare down my Subaru.<\/h5>\n
Ever since he was a kit, the rest of the world has maintained a respectful distance\u2014why wouldn\u2019t he expect an automobile to follow suit?\"\"If there\u2019s enough time, skunks will usually give those who cross their path fair warning. According to my mephitologist (skunk scientist) colleague, Jerry Dragoo of the University of New Mexico, a whole series of threat behaviors may occur before Pepe le Pew resorts to using the big gun. Striped Skunks will stomp both front feet, charge forward a few steps and then stomp, or back up while dragging their front feet before spraying the object of their wrath.<\/h5>\n
They can discharge their weapon while looking you in the eye, using an over-the-shoulder stance or even a handstand.<\/h5>\n
I\u2019ve heard stories in which a skunk was taking his or her time crossing the road, or was dining on some previously flattened wildlife, and clearly saw the car coming. Drivers have reported observing the kind of threat posturing described by Dr. Dragoo, although they may not recognize it as such. As their vehicle gets closer and closer, they wonder why the animal just stands there. Surely it will scurry off the road\u2026 any second now!<\/h5>\n
Instead, the skunk holds its ground, takes aim, and fires\u2026 and in the process becomes another scavenger\u2019s meal.\u00a0 Gone, but not forgotten.\u00a0<\/h5>\n
Not until the fragrance fades, at least.<\/h5>\n
I\u2019ve got good skunk karma, I guess. Either that, or this particular stinker was feeling mellow. Thirty seconds of holding my breath\u2026 then he decided to continue on his way.\u00a0 I and my car escaped getting doused. \"\"My luck ran out a few minutes later at the mall, though. Still thinking about my skunk encounter, I never saw that perfume saleswoman stamp her feet.<\/h5>\n
\n
\u00a9 2010 Next-Door Nature\u2014no reprints without written permission from the author (I\u2019d love for you to share my work. Just ask first.). Thanks to these photographers for making their work available through a Creative Commons license: Jasper Vance<\/a>, julie rohloff<\/a>, and Pat Gaines<\/a>.
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BY\u00a0KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD There\u2019s a wonderful word\u2014one of my favorites \u2014 to describe creatures that are active at dawn and dusk. Crepuscular. 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