Some of the most stimulating intellectual conversation at Harvard these days has revolved not around the theory of relativity or the impact of religion, but rather on the presence of skunks on campus.

Over the past few days, Harvard.general, a newsgroup covering topics of general interest to the Harvard community, has received a slew of postings concerning sightings of skunks, also referred to as mephitis mephitis.

Peculiar odors and furry flashes of black and white have been detected from the lawns of Harvard Law School to Harvard Yard itself.

Most notably, on Sept. 18, hours before Nelson Mandela was to receive an honorary law degree in Tercentenary Theatre, a faint odor was detected by passers-by near Memorial Hall.

Harvard Environmental Health and Safety Department officials were called in to investigate the odor.

While no skunks were found, it was assumed that a skunk may have been in the bushes and sprayed the shrubbery the evening before.

Desireé R. Washington, a fourth year graduate student, made the first post after she became aware of a "prevalent smell" through her Conant Hall window Sunday night.

"A lot of people upstairs were studying and they were suffocating in terms of the smell," Washington said.

Ojas V. Tejani '99 wrote in an e-mail message that he has seen skunks around the Science Center, Harvard Business School, and near 29 Garden St.

But despite all of the sightings, Tejani wrote, he "really [doesn't] think they're a problem, and [doesn't] think anything should be done about them."

"Leave 'em alone, and they'll leave you alone," Tejani wrote.

This gradual transformation of the Harvard campus into a wildlife reserve is all part of what Gary D. Alpert, an entomologist with the Harvard Environmental Health and Safety Department, refers to as "the nature-fication of Harvard."

The campus is becoming a safe reserve for animals because they are not being hunted here, Alpert said, noting that as Cambridge and Boston enact plans to clean up the Charles River, students and residents alike can expect to see even more wildlife because of the increased food supply.

While some students may not be all that excited about sharing their habitat with these harbingers of stench, the University's policy is one of tolerance.

"We give [skunks] a wide berth. If there's no evidence of rabies, we tolerate them," Alpert said. "We give them the utmost respect."