They're stinkin' cute at five weeks old and a Bay area wildlife sanctuary is hoping to nurse them back to health after the mother skunk left them abandoned.
Owl's Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife, a state and federally licensed rehab center received a litter of 5 kits a few weeks ago after the mother skunk was killed by a dog.
Kris Porter, Director of the Owls Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife, said the eastern spotted skunks would not have been able to survive on their own.
Instead Owls Nest is working to keep them alive until they're old enough to be on their own -- likely this fall.
Porter said although they are known for their ability to defend themselves with a foul smell, they're important to our ecosystem in Florida because they hunt smaller mammals like mice.
The kits recently weaned off bottles and are able to start solid foods in their bowl of formula.
And, in case you're wondering, they don't smell yet. They have about another five weeks until they can get their stink glands to work.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation tells us they don't have much research on the animals -- and in the past three years the FWC office in Tampa only had two calls about skunks.
The call could have been a sighting, concern or general question.
You likely won't see a skunk in Florida, because they are so rare -- right now they're considered to be on the vulnerable list, not quite endangered list in the state.
Owls Nest will have to nurse them back to health for the next several months until they can be released into the wild. They will need supplies to help with the kits: animal pee pads, vegetables, fruits, formula and other items.
To get in touch to help, you can reach them byclicking here.
