Staff members at All Things Wild Rehabilitation in Georgetown, Texas, were making their usual rounds, delivering dinner to the outdoor enclosures, when something unusual caught their attention. A small figure was shuffling near the fenceline, nose to the ground, clearly searching for scraps.
At first glance, they assumed it was a typical wild visitor — until they took a closer look and froze.
Wandering just a few feet away was a skunk … almost completely bald.
The little skunk was suffering from an extreme case of mange, leaving him nearly hairless and visibly uncomfortable. His pink, exposed skin and thin frame showed he’d been struggling for a long time. The team immediately felt for him — but before they could help, they had to find a way to safely catch him.
As it turned out, the skunk made that part easy.
“All of a sudden, he just started showing up every day,” April, the rehabilitation center’s director, told The Dodo. “It was almost like he knew where to go for help. We rescue dozens of skunks a year, but this was the first time one came to us for help on his own.”
Recognizing that the skunk was seeking food — and possibly comfort — staff set a humane trap baited with tasty snacks. One morning, they checked the trap and found the little visitor calmly munching away, as though he knew his rescuers had finally arrived.
Once safe inside, the skunk received a full examination and immediate treatment for his mange. The medication will help soothe his sore skin and eliminate the mites causing the issue, but regrowing his thick skunk coat will take time.
He’ll be spending the winter at the rehabilitation center so he can heal in a warm, protected environment. Come spring, once he’s fully fluffy again and strong enough, he’ll return to the wild.
In the meantime, everyone at All Things Wild has fallen in love with him.
“He’s actually kinda sweet now that he’s calmed down,” Lauren, one of the wildlife care technicians, shared.
Even though he arrived stressed and nearly naked, the resilient little skunk clearly trusted his instincts when he walked up to the right place. He sensed he needed help — and he found it.