We installed a gazebo about 25 metres (25 yards) away from our house. Today while on her way out to the gazebo my wife was greeted by the four baby skunks pictured here. Skunks are in fact beneficial animals that have a large appetite for insects and especially grubs that kill your lawn. Since we are in an isolated area away from any dense populations and with an extremely ample supply of insects, we have decided to co-habit with the skunk. I just have to be careful not to startle the animals in my walks around the woodlot. We don't have a dog and our cats seem to be able to handle the skunks well. When we lived in town our house cat was often seen frolicking with a resident skunk, yet careful enough to stay out of reach.
This is a striped skunk [Mephitis mephitis] which very common in these parts and the only skunk species here that I know of.
