Photo of skunks by Olivier Hill (not taken in Central Park).
It’s generally rare to spot a skunk in Central Park, but they’ve increasingly been seen — and smelled — in the park in recent weeks, according to a report in the New York Post.
“One of the crass critters attacked a poor pup in the park near West 67th Street and Central Park West on Thursday morning — a day after another dog was sprayed nearby.”
A parks worker told the Post that he’s not sure what’s been attracting the skunks, which have been spotted in Riverside Park in the Bronx in recent years.
“The stinkers have been spotted most often on a path across from Le Pain Quotidien eatery in the park, witnesses said.”
Clearly, these are French skunks.
I saw a skunk the other night on a little island of greenery leading up to the RSD viaduct over 125th Street. It was right across from Grant’s Tomb. i was on a walk and heard a quick shuffling and there it was… about 2 feet away.
We used to regularly see a family of racoons that would come out on garbage day and have the run of W. 95th Street between RSD and West End. They would go down the block, almost to West End! i haven’t seen them in several years… i wonder if they have been priced out of the neighborhood.
They’re still around, they just moved down a few streets. There was a nest for awhile in a hedge on the side of my bldg. They made pretty regular late night family treks from RSD to WEA.
Of course they’re French….think of Pepe La Pew
They have been in riverside park south for a few years and our 3 dogs (3!) have been sprayed numerous times. The skunks are quite urbane and, indeed, have that whole European disregard for personal space, so perhaps they are a bit french.
I called 311 about them and was told (amid giggles) that Animal Care and Control was obligated to accept them if they were delivered, but otherwise no action would be taken, so they might now be a fixture.
BTW the very best way to deal with the smell is to make a paste of about a pound of baking soda, a spot of mild dishwashing liquid (think palmolive) and hydrogen peroxide. Slap it all over stinky object (it should be the consistency of paper mache plaster) and let it set and dry for as long as possible, then shampoo off. Does a wonderful job of absorbing the odor.
i was out for a 4:30am walk in central park, in a blizzard. i spied a coyote, trotting along the chain link fence that used to be just west of the cherry hill fountain.
for my own reasons i took it to be female. i thought that if i followed her, she would elude me without any trouble at all, so i tracked her prints in the snow to see from whence she came.
she had crossed the bow bridge, coming from the ramble, and i even found a second set of prints diverging from one track to form two, going in separate directions.
for me it was a thrilling, probably once in a lifetime experience.
I am a wildlife expert. The formula for skunk smell removal is right on except a warning not to harm the pet’s eyes. You must apply a drop of mineral oil in each eye to repel any substance.
Just for the record; Le Pain Quotidien is Belgian …
Pepé Le Pew is in the house! 😀