When I tell you that people are literally tripping over skunks in some neighborhoods, I'm not exaggerating. One man just stepped on a skunk that was on his porch. He ended up getting sprayed. There used to be a time when eagle-eyed observers would only spot a skunk at night, said Merkling. These days, you see them wandering around at 2 in the afternoon.
Several lawmakers agree.
This spring, Golombek said about 40 constituents have reported seeing or smelling skunks. Frank L. Poincelot, the city's chief animal-control officer, acknowledged that the skunk problem in some parts of Black Rock and Riverside is more severe this year. But on a citywide basis, Poincelot said, skunk problems are no worse than usual. Males fight amongst each other - anything to attract attention from the females. It's not a pretty sight.