Dressed from head to toe in black and gray camouflage, Greg Zell and Earl Hodnett checked their gear for the night's hunt: Thermal imager. Check. Night vision scope. Check. High intensity spotlight. Check. Hodnett climbed into the "sniper seat" of a souped-up golf cart, also tricked out in camouflage, called the Bad Boy. The two began to creep in the dark, headlights cut, along the paths of the Washington Golf and Country Club in Arlington County.
Their prey: the elusive striped skunk.
It's a common animal in these parts. Or at least it should be. Skunks, known far and wide for their stinky spray, can survive in urban areas on garbage, bugs and pet food. But for years, no one has seen a skunk in Arlington. And Zell, a county naturalist, fears that they might be gone for good. Read More
No Skunks in Arlington Isn't Good News for Humans
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No Skunks in Arlington Isn't Good News for Humans
By Brigid Schulte
The Washington Post, 5/11/08
Straight to the Source