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Posted on Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:58 a.m.

Distemper outbreak affects skunk population in Ypsilanti neighborhood

By Tom Perkins

Something stinks in Ypsilanti.

On June 17, Karla Yurgaites was watering plants outside her window at her College Heights home when she discovered a surprise.

A roughly 10-week-old skunk was sitting down in her 18-inch deep window well. She jumped back as the young skunk began to lift its tail.

College_Heights.jpg

Ypsilanti's College Heights neighborhood.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

“I was just shocked when I found this little skunk stuck down there,” she said. “I didn’t know what to do.”

Believing that the animal might be stuck, she eventually crept back over and placed a board down to help it get out. But instead of climbing out, the skunk stayed in the well and was shaking and sneezing.

“I thought ‘That doesn’t seem right,’ ” Yurgaites said. So she called the Humane Society of Huron Valley to report what was happening.

A wildlife rescue officer came out, placed a blanket over the skunk, and used a specialized pole to trap it and place it in a cage.

After the officer left Yurgaites’ home, he stopped at a neighbor's house, where he picked up two more skunks reported to be behaving strangely.

The skunks are three of at least seven the HSHV has trapped in College Heights who are infected with distemper. The virus affects animals like skunks or squirrels, and it is fatal.

Because there is no cure, all the skunks that have been caught have been euthanized. Matt Schaecher, the HSHV's director of animal cruelty investigations and rescue services, said there is no way to stop the virus from spreading, and the outbreak of distemper will likely wipe out the skunk population in the College Heights area this summer.

“We generally find there’s one (animal) that catches it, and then it just starts wiping out a pocket of an area,” he said. “It’s not uncommon for us to get certain areas hit hard with distemper.”

Schaecher stressed that the virus is not transmittable to humans, but it is highly transmittable among animals - including dogs and cats - through saliva, urine or feces. It also is likely that another animal could catch it from a skunk's spray. Areas with the virus can be contaminated for several months and the virus can handle cold weather, Schaecher said.

The virus causes an animal to appear drunk. An infected skunk will lose its fear of humans, walk in circles, walk into trees and generally behave bizarrely.

“They really look like they’re drunk,” Schaecher said.

On the College Heights neighborhood Facebook page, neighbors reported skunks approaching their toddlers, being approached while gardening and seeing skunks walking around in circles.

Schaecher said the best defense for pets is to have them vaccinated. He strongly recommended against trying to catch or trap a skunk, and said a bite is cause for concern over the possibility of rabies.

“We do ask people that if they see a skunk not to try to catch it on their own,” he said. “If they get bit it poses a threat. If you’re bit you’re going to need the post rabies shot. What we would recommend is people contact the Humane Society immediately.”

He added that none of the skunks caught so far have tested positive for rabies.

Schaecher said there is no way of telling how many skunks live in the area, but College Heights is near wooded areas and skunks have a range of up to five miles from their dens. The neighborhood is bordered on the south by Washtenaw Avenue and Eastern Michigan University's property sits to the east and north.

So far no other Ypsilanti neighborhoods have reported strange skunk behavior.

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.

Comments

padwei

Mon, Jul 1, 2013 : 2:03 p.m.

Skunks appear to be thriving well in our neighborhood - captured some video of them last night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBfClV6KeME

Observant

Mon, Jul 1, 2013 : 1:42 a.m.

Be aware that the Humane Society is offering this wildlife removal service - HOWEVER it is not free. Go to their websire at: HSHV.com / services / humane wildlife removal for fee schedule.

Dave

Mon, Jul 1, 2013 : 12:17 p.m.

So, what you're saying is, an air soft gun is cheaper?

Observant

Mon, Jul 1, 2013 : 3:49 a.m.

CountryKate: THNX for that. I thought pick-ups were at our own expense - based on their HSHV website info. I live in the affected neighborhood. I'm here to say, they get CRAZY !! We had one last summer that stood in an intersection and taunted us - which was very weird. Will be calling HSHV if it happens again. Thanks much.

CountyKate

Mon, Jul 1, 2013 : 3:22 a.m.

Observant, if the animal is ill, as these have been, they HAVE been doing it for free. If it's just a nuisance situation, they do charge.

Mrsfritzmann

Mon, Jul 1, 2013 : 12:06 a.m.

It's interesting that HVHS is recommending that people contact them immediately. Is this only in the cases where the skunks are showing signs of being infected with distemper? Last summer, we had an entire litter of skunk kits (apparently abandoned) under our front porch. I DID call HVHS and was told they could not help. :-/

padwei

Mon, Jul 1, 2013 : 2:07 p.m.

I had a similar experience with HVHS and wildlife last summer - not only could they offer no help (juvenile raccoon in the sweltering 100-degree temps), but they didn't refer me to any other organization either. :(

Mulberry Bank

Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 7:13 p.m.

I am sorry to hear this about skunks and this distemper area. I like skunks and find them shy and keep to themselves. Also, have seen skunks stomp a foot before resorting to spraying. Wish we could inoculate our woodland critters from distemper, rabies, and over-population. Canada does this, in some cases, via medicine included in food drops. Guess we cannot care for ourselves, much-less others......

dading dont delete me bro

Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:47 p.m.

nice kitty...

mady

Tue, Jul 2, 2013 : 6:20 p.m.

please don't spray me......

PattyinYpsi

Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:07 p.m.

Thank you for this very helpful article, Tom. This is my neighborhood, I have dogs, and the nighttime air of summer is often scented with eau de skunque. I've alerted neighbors too. Nice job!

Alec

Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:37 p.m.

I had a skunk acting weird over in Normal Park (Just on the northern edge). Just figured it was rabies or seizing.

PineyWoodsGuy

Tue, Jul 2, 2013 : 2:49 p.m.

City ordinance states that Normal Park is reserved for the use of normal people and normal animals. That abnormal skunk had no business being there!

Billy

Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:25 p.m.

"walk in circles" That's a big sign right there. I've seen several animals with distemper in person, and there are plenty of videos you can find online that will show exactly what this ends up looking like.

Anita

Tue, Jul 2, 2013 : 7:35 p.m.

Actually a squirrel walking in circles would most likely be a head injury, possibly hit by a car. I have een a wildlife rehabber for 17 years.

Elena

Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:29 p.m.

I request that the Ann Arbor News print a correction as soon as possible on incorrect information in this article. The urban wildlife that is most likely to be afflicted with Distemper are skunks and raccoons - NOT squirrels. Please see Michigan DNR website for accurate information on Distemper in Michigan: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/1,1607,7-153-10370_12150_12220-26505--,00.html I am a volunteer with Friends of Wildlife and have worked with orphaned and injured squirrels for over 9 years. I have never heard of or come across a squirrel with distemper. I am concerned that your readers will be alarmed by this misinformation. It is already tough out there for a squirrel! (: Please correct. Thank you.

MathGeek

Mon, Jul 1, 2013 : 1:54 a.m.

It's tough out there for a squirrel? None of the squirrels I've seen have it that tough. They're all fat and like to sleep in trees. I'd like that life.

Billy

Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:40 p.m.

"I have never heard of or come across a squirrel with distemper." They can get rabies though...and the behavior can be a little bit similar. Although what I read says that squirrels usually don't survive rabies long enough to show symptoms from it either so it's actually very uncommon. ...and then there's THIS scary thing...that we can apparently get too... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baylisascaris

WalkingJoe

Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : noon

Over the years at one time or another all three of our dogs have been sprayed buy a skunk. Thankfully there only smelled bad after and didn't get sick. I never thought about them getting some kind of virus transmitted that way. Thought this article might just be some Sunday filler but it is really a good heads up. Thanks Tom.