My encounter with a wild animal during Haunt

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

While working at the Haunt last Friday night (October 11), I had an encounter with a wild animal. It was very dark and with the fog that was being produced, the visibility was not very good. I was by the entrance to the season pass building when I saw what I thought was a large white plastic trash bag in the grassy area. I walked over to it to pick it up and when I got within 10 feet or so of it, it began to move. This "white" trash bag was about 3 feet in length and had a very white bushy tail. Needless to say, I calmly began to back away and it saw me and calmly walked over to the trees and disappeared. This was one of the Park's almost all white skunks and with me being about 10 feet away, I was well within range of its smelly weapon and with the skunk's deadly aim, I would had been a real stinker. You can bet I would had called first aid and have them come to my aid. I would had advised them to bring a gas mask and a new set of uniforms for me and several gallons of tomato juice along with soap and a scrub brush. I heard that tomato juice will help in getting the smelly oil and scent off of you and I am glad I did not have to see how well it worked. If you have ever driven along the road and seen and smelt a skunk on the side of the road, you know how I would had smelled. And besides, on a bright note, I would not have to ask someone to make room as I sat down at a crowded event. They would had given me the entire section!

[BB1]

Well, do I remember the "kind" skunk(s), lovely they are, I hate them with an passion.

[Kyle100991]

My best friend and I went saturday night and saw one while waiting in line for Adventure Express. He said he saw one at the same spot about two years ago.

[upstop]

there was one in the grass by Diamondbacks exit at dusk one evening.... and people were trying to reach through the fence to pet the kitty. needless to say we went through the short exit to avoid possible spray.

[The Interpreter]

And skunks can and do carry rabies.

[coasterfanatic83]

I spotted one behind the Dippin' Dots stand across from the Reds HOF Grille earlier this summer. It ran off into the woods near the train station.

[upstop]

Holy cow, there must be a lot of hiding space at the island.

Once while mowing a ditch, I rolled the push mower up and over the drainage pipe and when the mower was above the pipe, one ran out of the pipe and went between my legs to the other drainage pipe behind me....needless to say there was a palpitation and a slight dribble that occurred....LOL

[Sonofbeast2.0]

Actually u should of let it spary you and have someone with a mic close by cause you will win Banshee scream contest!

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

Last year when we were leaving behind the admissions back entrance, we spotted the white skunk in front of the Operations building entrance and a group of employees were walking between the operations building and the I-Street. We yelled over to them to watch themselves as there was a skunk there. The wild animals do come out at night and skunks are just one of the park's wild animal residents.

[upstop]

I jumped pretty high, and as you know, no one can hear you scream in space....

[upstop]

Last year when we were leaving behind the admissions back entrance, we spotted the white skunk in front of the Operations building entrance and a group of employees were walking between the operations building and the I-Street. We yelled over to them to watch themselves as there was a skunk there. The wild animals do come out at night and skunks are just one of the park's wild animal residents.

KI has raccoons as well....you can some times see their poo on the floor beneath the coaster track on AE.

[Tanna]

I've never seen one.

If you got sprayed, you'd have your own instant FastLane, as everyone would clear out around you.

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

Guests will leave their coolers along the fence by the picnic tables by the season pass buildings and even leave bags with their food. This summer, one of the guests had a lot of items for their group along with a big bag with sandwich buns. That is just asking for trouble and trouble found the bread. A good size adult raccoon ventured up there and was just feasting away on the sandwich buns. We chased it away and left a note to the guests as to what had happen. I later saw them and told them about it. For the most part, you will see birds and squirrels eating the crumbs that the guests leave on the ground, but not larger animals such as raccoons. But they are opportunists and when a feast is left for them, they will dig in. I mentioned this to the guests during the day and to beware of the raccoons. I have seen raccoons all around the dumpsters, especially out behind the River Town Pizza late at night, but not in the daylight with guests present. You don't even want to think about being bitten by a raccoon or any other wild animal because of rabies.

[NoChickens]

We encountered the skunks twice this year, once in Planet Snoopy, and another in Coney Mall between Zephyr and the arcade building. Thought for a second he was going to go in the arcade. That would have been interesting I bet.

[RailRider]

I have noticed the raccoons up in the rafters of Festhaus later in the evening and especially during haunt. While KI has a very natural setting I am surprised they have not done some pest removal. After all raccoons and skunks are carriers of rabies and could cause quite a liability issue for the park.

[ZeroGee]

There is certainly a skunk that has set up home somewhere underneath AE . More times than not this season while entering the queue you could smell of its existence. And many times at night in various locations throughout the park ( especially in the parking lot ), one can smell "skunky" odors but I don't think it's from any animal

[PhantomTheaterKiss]

My husband and I seen and smelled a skunk in the double helix of The Beast early this summer during ERT. Unpleasant.

Recently, at Korean War Memorial in Washington, DC (which is eerie in its own right) around midnight I was surprised by a fox slinking and jumping its way through the statues. It was a bit creepy and initially scared me stiff.

[MDMC01]

I've seen a few skunks when I worked as a sweep this season. I distinctly remember seeing two close to the Boo Blasters exit and saw one on the RPW (Rivertown Potato Works) patio.

[jdf21972]

Can't say I've seen a white skunk but seen buckeye chuck hanging around Vortex station Sunday and people were just memorized by him. Would have took a picture but was on the ride waiting to come back into the station.

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[faeriewench]

I seen kids attempt to chase a skunk at The Beach back in 2011, I told them to get lost. I like skunks, they can make good pets when the glands are removed. Raccoons on the other hand...are a handful. I grew up with two raccoons. KI has lots of wild animals...I've encountered deer, skunks, raccoons, and snakes...oh and the occasional cat when I worked at the park.

[thedevariouseffect]

What makes a skunk such a great house pet compared to say, dogs, cats, fish, ect.?

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

Skunks are wild animals and are not domesticated like cats and dogs are. Also, I think there are laws against having a wild animal as a pet. As why doesn't the park hire an exterminator to rid the park of these animals, that would not be feasible. Unless raccoons or other animals have taken up residence inside the rafters or inside the buildings, it would not be needed to get rid of them. After all, the park is surrounded by lots of woods and we are in their home with all of our construction. If we see skunks and other wild animals, we need to leave them alone and for God's sake, do not attempt to pet them. They ARE NOT pets and they can carry rabies. My uncle was an avid raccoon hunter and he had one inside of a cage and this guy was very unhappy and they can inflict a very nasty bite. The park has other wild animals besides the usual skunk and raccoon. There are lots of feral cats that live at the park and you can see then and all the rest of the wild animals during the night time and early morning all through out the park. Last year, we rescued a small kitten that was found near the train and was adopted by one of my supervisors.

[faeriewench]

They be considered exotic pets and I don't recommend them for just anyone....a lot people can't even seem to take care of a dog or a cat these days which makes me sick. Have many cats now to prove it as they were all dumped. I never had one for a pet but I have handled them before (a house broken one as in he used a litter box) and I thought he was cooler than any dog, lol. They are way, way different from cats and dogs though. In Ohio though they are legal still I believe as long as you have a permit but again I don't recommend them to just anyone. Most states they are illegal, some states they are legal in some areas but illegal in others (so it varies).

[Dieseltech20]

Had two Flying Squirrels as a kid. The male was super friendly, the female on the other hand, yikes. She loved my dad, anyone else that came near her was gonna bleed.

[TTD-120-420]

Please tell me you named one Rocky.

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

I have given names to the various critters that come into the kennel to feed from the corn that we placed for Donald, Huey, Dewy and Louie to eat. There is Rocky the squirrel, Alvin the chipmunk, and the Yardbirds that roost on the rafters to swoop down to feast on the corn. They are all feasting off of the corn and after the end of October, they will have to go elsewhere. We used to sell dog and cat food that were stored in a plastic tub. But after the close of our season 4 years ago, all that food was left in the office all through the winter and come April, it was a mess. It seems that Micky and Mini were feasting on all that manna from heaven and went forth and multiplied and all those little Micky and Mini's feasted and also multiplied. They bred like rabbits, which was the only critter we didn't see. I guess Bugs was into carrots and not dog or cat food.

[Oldiesmann]

The closest I've been to a skunk was when I worked at the park in 2005. A family of skunks took up residence under the track at what is now Peanuts 500. After they decided to come out of their burrow one night while the park was open, a trapper was brought in and they were moved to the woods.

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[ChaneLift]

The wife and I have seen two skunks this year as well - one walking up to AE and the other outside the cavern of terror a few weeks ago.

But the best encounter so far was two Fridays ago about 12:30 while getting in line for The Beast. Just above the vending machine at the end as you turn right up towards the ramp - a raccoon stuck his head and paw out just above our heads.

I walked back to tell the girl at the entrance and she said "yeah I keep telling them he comes out here at night but I don't think they've ever tried to catch him"

We are used to being around wild animals(originally from WV so that's just the norm) but if I had been about 8 inches taller it probably would have ended differently- they definitely aren't as cute and cuddly as they look.

Moral of the story is watch the clearance next time you get thirsty in line for The Beast

[Jr for Birdy]

There is certainly a skunk that has set up home somewhere underneath AE . More times than not this season while entering the queue you could smell of its existence. And many times at night in various locations throughout the park ( especially in the parking lot ), one can smell "skunky" odors but I don't think it's from any animal

I was going to post the same thing, exactly. If I don't smell a skunk around AE, sure enough I'll smell 'it' by the time I reach BLSC! Teenage kid we bring to park " Hey Jr, you smell that, cause I know what that smell is." I reply " Yes I do, and if you want a good job one day I suggest you stay far from that smell."

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

When I used to work at the huge Montgomery Wards warehouse, a skunk go inside the building and left its scent everywhere!