WEST WYOMING, Pa. — Balled up and afraid, a baby skunk found refuge on a concrete slab after landing inside Abrahams Creek in West Wyoming.
"Think what happened was he was chased down by a predator. And what happened was he ended up going to the edge of the fence on the waterway. And he didn't have a choice to either get eaten or fall down, and that's what he did; he went down into the water," said John Ackourey, Wildlife Rescue.
John Ackourey is a local wildlife rescue expert and works with area agencies like the Luzerne County Animal Response Team.
He says he's been to more difficult rescues, but the fence surrounding this creek from the flood protection project did present a bit of a challenge.
"I just thought, got to drop a rope and I got to get that skunk out of there, we got to save them and get them back to dry land, so he's a little bit happier," said Ackourney.
Once John was in the creek, it was easy for him to get to the skunk and handle him.
Getting him into a carrier before the skunk sprayed, then back to the ropes to climb out, that's when the smell hit us.
"Because the only reason why they spray is because they're afraid, and we've all been afraid, and that's not a good feeling, and so that's why they spray," said Ackourney.
But the skunk didn't have to be afraid for long.
Shortly after, we were able to release the skunk in a safer, wooded area nearby.
"There and that they're really great creatures. They help the environment. They eat a lot of insects that can be harmful to humans. They help the soil; believe it or not, they do a lot of great things," said Ackourney.
John says this is all in a day's works.