SKUNKS AND RABBITS

Working the late afternoon and evening front desk shift at the Soundings, a seasonal oceanfront motel, in Dennis Port on Cape Cod I would often notice the various wildlife animals that would frequent the grassy lawn areas. Next to the Soundings is an undeveloped parcel of land that is a town beach. I imagine this is a good habitat for the local animals with the beach grass,trees, and small sand dunes.

Around sunset and early evening there would be quite a few brown rabbits that would graze on the Soundings grounds. There are grass areas in front of the Soundings as well as in back of the lobby and along the oceanfront where many of the guests play soccer, football, frisbee or whiffle ball.

Last season there was a rabbit that was smarter and braver than the average rabbit. This rabbit would hop through the motel lobby from the front of the motel to through the open front door and out the back door. We at the front desk would watch this rabbit and say "Hey, rabbit no pets allowed!". A few hours later this same rabbit would hop through the lobby from the back of the lobby and out to the delicious grass of the front lawn. Yes, this rabbit knew how to take a short cut.

During the later part of the summer and early fall, skunks would sometimes come out from the empty lot next door and walk around the grounds searching for grubs. Sometimes the guests would report that a skunk would be near their room door. They would ask "what are you going to do about the skunk outside my room?" We would say "best to stay away, the skunk will move and no one wants to get sprayed. We will contact a pest control company in the morning and have them re-locate the skunks".

The pest control company would trap the skunks and relocate them. However, each season there would be skunk sitings. We don't know if these are the same skunks from previous years or a new batch of skunks. I guess the skunks and rabbits enjoy the oceanfront location and verdant green lawn areas as much as our "paying" guests.