Skunks in Boston?

[RevJim]

 A friend of mine just moved to Boston ( East side) and she told me an interesting story. She loves it there, and finds it quaint in many ways, one of which was the rat problem and how its handled. She said that skunks are allowed to proliferate , to eat the rats, instead of stray cats. Reason is the skunks only come out at night whereas the cats would be everywhere ( like Rome). She said people still get sprayed a lot, ha. I thought that was interesting...

[tobster]

Food in Chinese resturants might begin to have a bit of an "edge" to the flavor.

[Old Fart]

Seems like a well thought out plan.... 

[Doublebass73]

My sister had an apartment on East Broadway in South Boston that had so many rats she had to buy a cat even though she doesn't like cats.

[dakotashooter2]

I thought all the skunks were in washington...............................
The bad part about skunks is their tendency to carry rabies...................

[Oldshooter]

Food in Chinese resturants might begin to have a bit of an "edge" to the flavor.

Now there is a thinking man.   
 
Everytime people decide that they can overule Gods creation and "fix" a problem by manipulating Nature you get disaster.
 
I'd be hard pressed to say which species is more a nuisance.

[Jim, West PA]

Skunks are not the answer to rat populations. Even tho they are in the weasle family they, like most predators thier size,will avoid contact with an adult rat. Skunks will indeed kill and eat young rats, pinks/fuzzies/pups, but rats are good at hiding thier young and keeping them defended by surrogate mothers while they're foraging. Skunks can actualy help to increase a rat population in that they will quickly kill and eat snakes. If you have rats, you have snakes. If you have skunks where snakes are, the snakes are the chosen meal for the skunk. So, you see, skunks are not the answer.
As for cats. They also will avoid contact with an adult rat. They too are not the answer.
Fact of the matter is. Unless you have big enough snakes, rats will, and do, proliforate. They are just too mean and most predators just won't risk contact with them.But then, i s'pect a mink or weasle would not hesitate.

The bad part about skunks is their tendency to carry rabies

Very uncommon. They are very clean,peacefull and intelegent animals. Any other animals thier size that could be a carrier of rabies will and do stear clear of them.
 Side note: skunks make wondefull pets.I've had a few.
 

[kynardsj]

Skunks in Boston ? Dang man I thought most of them were in Washington, DC.    Oh, you mean the 4 legged kind. 

[JonnyReb]

 Sounds like an airgun hunters heaven, although I'll bet airguns are probably prohibited there. A baitpile in the backyard and an IR illuminator hanging off a quiet pellet rifle,Rat Safari's!

 I like skunks too, there are very few in the area I live but just to the west of me they are common. I've seen a few while hunting and have to say I prefer watching them over squirrels in the early am.  J

[RevJim]

 As a kid, I had a mongrel dog that was dachshund/rat terrier. He would lay low and kill the big wood rats that ate my grand dad's hog feed. He was the best ratter I had ever seen. I like the "Air Gun Safari" idea!