SPANISH FORT, Ala. — The newest arrival at 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center is attracting a ton of interest, especially from folks with a nose for news.

Assistant Manager Shonda Borden said she tries to be inconspicuous transporting Amelia the skunk home with her each evening in an unassuming pet carrier, but patrons simply cannot resist inquiring about the tell-tale black-and-white markings.

“I was trying to slip out Saturday night just ahead of a wedding party, and before I knew it, there was a crowd of people around me wanting to know if—and why—I was carrying a skunk,” Borden said.

Amelia, who traveled 1,000 miles by plane from Iowa to join the 5 Rivers family, has become an integral part of the educational center’s instructional programs.

She debuted Saturday as part of the “Wilderness Awareness” course that catered to third- through fifth-graders.

“She’s really pretty amazing, and we get all manner of reaction from people about her. They want to know if she’s tame, how old she is, if she plays and, of course, whether or not she can spray,” Borden said.

The answer to that most important question is …

See the rest of this story in the July 14 Spanish Fort Sun.