βHis face is so swollen …”
A frightened skunk trapped inside a recycling bin has made a full recovery thanks to the quick response of wildlife rescuers in Arizona.
Late last year, Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center received an urgent call from a resident in Mesa, Arizona, who had discovered a skunk unable to escape from a recycling bin while taking out the trash.
When rescuer Berk Martineau arrived, he found the small striped animal in a difficult and painful situation. The skunk had somehow become wedged inside the small circular drainage hole at the bottom of the recycling bin, leaving his head firmly stuck.
“This skunk is pretty stuck,” Martineau said.
A delicate rescue
Martineau was joined by fellow rescuer Dani Branchini, and together they carefully planned how to free the distressed animal.
To reduce the chance of being sprayed and to help keep the skunk calm, Branchini gently tucked the animal’s tail beneath its body and wrapped it in a towel.
Martineau then climbed into the recycling bin for a closer look.
The skunk had apparently been trapped for quite some time. His face had become badly swollen, and he was covered in ants after struggling unsuccessfully to free himself.
“His face looks pretty gnarly,” Martineau said.
Using oil instead of force
Rather than pulling on the skunk and risking serious injuries, Martineau chose a gentler approach.
He slowly poured oil around the animal’s head to reduce friction, carefully working it into the tight space around the drain opening.
“It is crucial that we are being as delicate as possible when trying to remove this skunk from the drain and not tugging and pulling too hard, leading to further injuries,” Martineau explained.
After patiently working for several minutes, the rescuers were finally able to slide the skunk free.
Recovery at the wildlife center
Although the skunk was relieved to be out of the bin, his face remained severely swollen.
“His face is so swollen,” Martineau said.
Instead of releasing him immediately, the team transported him to the conservation center’s wildlife clinic.
There, he was given:
- A quiet, comfortable kennel.
- Fresh food and water.
- Time to rest and recover.
- Monitoring by wildlife professionals.
Fortunately, his injuries turned out to be relatively minor.
“Thankfully, his injuries were relatively mild and we didn’t have to do too much other than getting the skunk back on his feet and comfortable so that when he was set back out into the wild, he would be ready to go,” Martineau said.
Back where he belongs
After just a few days of care, the swelling had gone down, the skunk had regained his strength, and he was ready to return to the wild.
Martineau released the healthy skunk back into his natural habitat, giving the little survivor a second chance after what could have been a fatal ordeal.
The rescue serves as a reminder that even everyday objects like recycling bins can become dangerous traps for wildlifeβand that a quick call to trained wildlife rescuers can make all the difference.