The Everything Animal Thread

One of the highlights when visiting different countries is to meet and learn about the local wildlife. At the home where I`m
staying there is a variety of wildlife that has set up their own home. For the first time in my life I saw a skunk and learned all about this
small animal who is nocturnal.
Some evenings when dusk appears you can see a whole group of them (5) hobbling down the slope and digging for food. They sometimes get into a fight over food and their tails stick up. They`ll chase each other until one gives up.

Apparently, mum skunks are wonderful with their offspring who often end up as orphans. People who are ignorant will kill them and can`t tolerate them in their gardens. They receive bad press because their spray is highly offensive. They only use it as a last resort and are quite timid creatures who do not like confrontation.
So, if you see a skunk slowly back away and chances are that they`ll simply hobble away.


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@shyvas There are a LOT of skunks where I live (in lovely downtown Skunkopolis, USA) ! But although I've lived here for a full 36 years, I haven't had problems with them (although they sometimes rattled me when I first moved here). I just take measures to not surprise them, and they seem to make an effort to avoid me in turn. I remember one time I was about to walk down the walkway through my front yard to my front door, and a skunk was there. I backed up two steps, he came forward two steps... I backed up a bit more, he came forward a bit more- and he turned in to the entrance to his burrow, which was right there.
 
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Not sure where to put this.
Maybe in What Podcasts are you listening to.
hmm. maybe I'll repost it there too

This is the funniest thing I've heard all week.
The author is a a primatologist and science comedian.

This Lesbian Monkey Love Triangle Tells Us Something Really Interesting about Darwin's 'Paradox'
Science, Quickly

A “Darwinian paradox” is that homosexual activity occurs even though it does not lead to or aid in reproduction. But if you visit three capuchin monkeys in Los Angeles, they’ll show you how beneficial their liaisons are.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: ‎Science, Quickly: This Lesbian Monkey Love Triangle Tells Us Something Really Interesting about Darwin's 'Paradox' on Apple Podcasts

Or if you don't like to listen