If it hadn't been for two observant and caring 10-year olds and their kindhearted parents, a striped skunk would still be trapped at the bottom of a storm drain catch basin for another night. Apparently, he'd been there for days with no one to help. Finally, WildRescue was alerted.
Our Search and Rescue team responded towards evening to free the nocturnal creature.
When they arrived, he was curled up, sleeping in the corner of a deep basin at the end of 14th Ave. in Santa Cruz, at the Twin Lakes State Park entrance. Fruit and nuts were scattered about - obviously people had been tossing him food.The 6' deep cement-walled basin consisted of two drain pipes leading in, with a drop of about 2' to the floor. Once inside, there is no way for a small animal to get out. Imagine how many animals get trapped in these basins and are never found.
Using a long-handled hoop net, the adult skunk was delicately lifted to freedom and released near some shrubs about 20 yards away. It never sprayed. Check out the exciting video below.
Yea! Good job! Fun to watch too.
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