Today’s word: Crepuscular

In simple terms, crepuscular animals are those that are active during the twilight hours around dawn and dusk.

Many animals thought of by the average person as nocturnal are actually crepuscular. For example, skunks while often active at night, are crepuscular.

It is common “wisdom” that a skunk seen out when it is not dark is likely rabid; however, like many other “common sense” things told to us as children, it is not the case. While certainly if you see a skunk during daylight that is also acting strange (stumbling for a example) there there might be concern, but there is no need to kill every skunk you see before dark.