Eastern spotted skunks are a threatened species in Kansas and should not be destroyed. Anyone capturing a spotted skunk must contact the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Urban Skunk Problems Skunks cause many problems in urban areas. In Kansas, skunks are the primary wildlife carrier of this disease. They may also be infected with pneumonia, distemper, leptospirosis, listeriosis, tularemia and unknown viral diseases, or carry parasites such as fleas, lice, mites, ticks, roundworms, tapeworms and flatworms.
Skunks occasionally bother bee-hives.
To keep skunks from climbing to the hives, put hives on stands several feet off the ground and tack sheet metal to the legs. Despite nature's checks and balances, skunk populations sometimes rise. Mass skunk control is difficult in an urban environment. Because poisoning may kill pets and wildlife, there are no poison baits registered for skunk control in Kansas. Homeowners must take preventive measures to keep skunks from becoming abundant in urban areas.