How Could Skunks Losing Their White Stripes Affect Utah?

Skunks losing their white stripe could be a phenomenon that will affect our local animal life.

Scientists have discovered that skunks can lose their white stripe. Hmmm, that is going to make it more difficult for some of us to avoid the spray. Why do they lose the white stripe? Leading theories suggest that a lack of predators makes the skunk less reliable on sending a warning sign with their conspicuous white stripe. Meaning they're less dependent on this warning sign so it fades over generations.

How will this affect animal life in Utah?

Here are some theories:

Naked Desert Tortoise:

The protections of the desert tortoise could allow the strength of their shell to soften, maybe we are looking at future naked tortoises that will wait for us to protect them from any harm the way their shell would have.

Fearless Lizards:

I feel like the lizards around my house are getting so used to my presence that I am going to see them sitting at the table waiting for dinner with the rest of the family. I don't know if it's because they see me all the time or if they are watching the Geico gecko through the windows, but they don't seem to scurry like they used to.

National Park Deer:

These guys are already entitled, one of my friends noted how well fed they look compared to the wild ones. I expect this weight gain to continue as their entitlement does and soon we will be seeing overweight deer rangers in park ranger uniform turning us away from the park.

It is so amazing that animals can adapt to their environment so well. I'm not saying any of these predictions will happen, but it seems reasonable that as the world changes so will animal behavior and style.