Wildlife refuge overflowing with orphaned skunks

Shades of Hope Wildlife Refuge in Pefferlaw, Ont. shared a post on social media July 5, 2025, about its influx of orphaned baby skunks.

There’s a strong scent of summer at Shades of Hope Wildlife Refuge, and it’s not the flowers.

The refuge says it’s currently caring for a surge in orphaned baby skunks, and the telltale smell is becoming a regular part of life around the nursery.

In a light-hearted post on social media titled ‘Skunked!’ staff at the wildlife centre shared an update on the growing number of black and white furballs they are caring for.

“It’s a familiar aroma around our nursery at the moment," the post reads. “Over the last few weeks our skunk numbers have increased to 86 orphans in care.”

Staff shared some good news: some of the skunks have grown big enough to be moved into outdoor enclosures, which will help ease the pressure inside and, hopefully, the air quality as well.

“We will be doing some shuffling this weekend,” the post finished.

The registered charity provides care for injured and orphaned wildlife with the goal of returning them to their natural habitat. The organization, located in Pefferlaw within the Town of Georgina near Lake Simcoe, is not open to the public but relies heavily on donations and volunteer support for the hundreds of animals in its care, including over 300 orphaned wild babies.