On January 18, 2007
A stowaway skunk that ended up in Toronto, Canada after traveling more than 2,200 miles (3,500-kilometres) from Torrance, California in the back of a sealed truck, inside a PVC pipe for 7 days...is finally on the way home. Trace Nealy radio host for Ventura's KFYV Live 105.5 FM and producer Ryan Miller are using their personal vacation time to chauffeur "Dorothy", a striped skunk, back to her home in Torrance, California. You can learn more about their adventure, and Dorothy's release date by reading the daily blogs posted on Live 105.5 FM.

Along the route several different wildlife organizations have participated in the care and maintenance of Dorothy. As only permitted wildlife rehabilitators were allowed through federal and state laws to clean her kennel. Ryan and Trace we're made honorary members of the Toronto Wildlife Centre, but sadly they have not passed all their requirements for rehabilitator status...[wink]. I bet they're thinking about becoming full blown rehabbers now!

Wildlife Rescue Inc., of New Mexico (WRINM) and Mammal Coordinator, Nova Reeves were contacted through International Wildlife Rehabiltation Council's (IWRC) network of rehabilitators suggesting Albuquerque to be one of the scheduled stops on Dorothy's route home. Delighted to help out, we volunteered to do the feeding and cleaning on Thursday, February 8, 2007 before they headed into Arizona. Mouse-over each image to learn more about our participation in Dorothy's long journey home to Torrance, California.

You might ask, "What difference will returning one skunk back to it's territorial habitat make?" Well, every individual is important, and that's not just a cliché, it's serious. This one striped skunk might hold the genetic solution to the next environmental challenge; genetics that her offspring will inherit and need to survive - that her species will need to survive. Returning her to her territorial habitat, a familiar place, will also increase her chances of survival, and her chances for a successful breeding season.

Reading Topics:
Evolutionary Ecology
Conservation Biology
Biodiversity

Learn more about Skunks:
Dragoo Institute for the Betterment of Skunks & Skunk Reputations!
Skunks of New Mexico

GOOD JOB! Toronto Wildlife Center for the skills in getting permits for Dorothy's return;

GOOD JOB! State of California for enabling the process;

GOOD JOB! to all the rehabilitators along the road; and especially GOOD JOB! Trace and Ryan for being the glue that made it happen.