The width of this stripe and the amount of white on the tail may vary from one skunk to another. Regional records for the eastern spotted skunk suggest that this species extended its range northward into Minnesota in the early 1900s. The Latin name for skunk, Mephitis mephitis, means "double foul odor.". Photo by Mike Ostrowski, Maryland Biodiversity Project. Eyes open when they are about 3 weeks old. Population Trends To help assess population trends, we can look at regional furbearer harvest data, methods . Although skunks in New York retreat to winter dens and remain inactive for extended periods, they do not hibernate. They have short legs and wide rear ends. They den in ground burrows, stumps, wood and rock piles, overhanging creek banks and beneath buildings. A skunks pelt is composed of soft, wavy underfur overlain with long, coarse guard hairs. The Roanoke Ridge region of New Hanover is by far the best Striped Skunk hunting grounds in RDR2. The Great Horned Owl is the chief predator of skunks; the skunk's odor does not seem to deter them. They typically inhabit areas with a mixture of dense vegetation and open areas. Coyotes, foxes, owls, bobcat and fisher will prey on skunks, and collisions with cars are a common cause of skunk deaths. NRRI Duluth[emailprotected] There is a significant reduction in body mass during wintermonths, when striped skunks can lose up to 50 percent of their weight. Skunks are nocturnal solitary animals and forage and hunt in the evening. Its fur is intrinsically valuable, being durable and having rich luster, though this trait decreases with wear and exposure to sunlight. The Striped Skunk is found in lowlands throughout Washington, preferring relatively open country such as logged lands, old fields, open woods, brushy grassland, forest edges, riparian corridors, and agricultural areas. [4] Emphasis was placed on selectively breeding the tamest and darkest colored skunks. Size: 18-32 inches long; up to 8 lbs. Prior to spraying, skunks usually warn intruders by stamping their feet and holding the tail high in the air. Skunks are placid and sluggish. Large, bushy black and white tail. These dens are normally used only in late fall, winter, and early spring, while females with unweaned kits make use of them in late spring and summer. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0; additional terms may apply. Variations include striping patterns and coloration; some striped skunks may be cream-colored with no visible striping. & Verts, B. J. Nevertheless, raising skunks was considered good practice for amateur fur farmers wishing to later move on to more valuable furbearers like martens, sable, mink and silver foxes. Avoid single-use plastics, such as plastic bottles, bags and utensils. Some specimens have a white patch on the chest, while others bear white stripes on the outer surface of the front limbs. Tool use, the manipulation of one object to change the state of another, is found in <1% of animal taxa and most often observed in captivity. Their diet will vary depending on whats available during each season. [3] It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN on account of its wide range and ability to adapt to human-modified environments. Skunks eat honeybees and wasps and often attack beehives. Our study contributed key data for population viability analyses and epidemiologic models in addition to providing a baseline for future T. cruzi surveillance among skunks and other wildlife species. Newborns are helpless and rely completely on their mother. Males are typically slightlylarger than females. Striped Skunk Commonly referred to as polecats, striped skunk are about the size of domestic house cats, measuring 21-28 inches in total length and weighing from 3-11 pounds. Skunk spray can travel up to 10 feet (though odor can be detected further away), and when striped skunks and hooded skunks take aim, they are amazingly accurate. [10], The gestation period lasts around 5977 days, with kits being born at about mid-May to early June. Though . Skunks are the primary hosts in the north- and south-central United States as well as in Canada. PO Box 188 Cornfields are good feeding areas, where skunks forage for grasshoppers, grubs and beetles. Striped skunks make a living throughout North America, from southern Canada into northern Mexico. Their senses of sight, smell and hearing have been judged poor to fair compared with those of other wild mammals. They typically breed in the later winter or early spring, giving birth to a single litter of 1 - 6 young born in May or June. Perhaps the value of skunk musk to the perfume industry, combined with the commercial use of their pelts, caused early legislators to give skunks special consideration. Western Canada, from Manitoba to British Columbia; south in the United States to Colorado, Nebraska, and Minnesota. They have been observed living in wooded areas, deserts and plains, and have even adapted to urban and suburban environments. Eastern striped skunks are relatively common throughout the United States and can be found throughout Maryland. The skunk excels at this potential and can discharge a foul-smelling fluid as a means of defense. Moving a skunk in a box trap is easy if you cover the trap with a dark blanket so the animal can't see you. The burrow has a central chamber (12 to 15 inches in diameter) about three feet underground, connected to the surface by one or more tunnels 5 to 15 feet long. Variations include striping patterns and coloration; some striped skunks may be cream-colored with no visible striping. The skunk will move backwards towards the aggressor while stamping its feet. The striped skunk is one of the most recognizable of North America's animals, and is a popular figure in cartoons and children's books. After spraying, the striped skunk will take the opportunity to run away from the intruder, which will be more interested in dealing with the spray than with the skunk. Worldwide,Mephitis mephitisis restricted to North America. It also suggested that the decline in Plains Spotted Skunk harvest was due to decline in fur prices (Reports from 1951). Choose recycling over trash when possible. [14] This oily, yellow-colored musk consists of a mixture of powerfully odorous thiols (sulfur analogues of alcohols, in older sources called "mercaptans"), which can be sprayed at a distance of several meters. These grades are further subdivided in value according to their locality, with the most valuable occurring in northern regions, where the fur is finer and darker. . Skunks have small heads, with small eyes and ears and a pointed nose. Mostly nocturnal and does not hibernate. Striped skunks live throughout North America from southern Canada into northern Mexico. Southern and western Texas, eastern New Mexico, and adjacent parts of Mexico; north into Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska. Density estimates for striped skunk populations ranged from 0.7 to 18.5/km 2 but most were 1.8 to 4.8/km 2 . The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis ) is a skunk of the genus Mephitis that occurs across much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. This page is available in other languages. They are nocturnal animals (active mostly after dark). The average lifespan of striped skunks in the wild is 7 years. Skunks discharge their scent, or musk, through these nozzles, powering the stream with a strong hip muscle contraction. Because striped skunks are abundant, their populations are often susceptible to diseases such as rabies. Male striped skunks breed with multiple females, and are rejected by the females after mating occurs. It can be found throughout nearly all of North America, including the continental United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. Spotted skunks were common around farms, and state harvest peaked at 19,400 in 1946, before populations plummeted. Scientific Name: Mephitis mephitis. The spray, which can not only offend the nose but sting the eyes, can reach 12 feet from the skunk; the mist of the spray and the odor can travel considerably further. The eyes open after around three weeks, and are weaned after 4256 days. A skunk can shoot musk about twelve feet, but will use it as only a last resort, preferring, instead, to bluff an enemy. Of the 3 skunks that underwent necropsy on 3 dpi, 2 had infectious virus in the turbinates but not in other tissues tested. The odor of this musk was likened by Ernest Thompson Seton to a mixture of perfume musk, essence of garlic, burning sulfur and sewer gas "magnified a thousand times",[11] though Clinton Hart Merriam claimed that it isn't "one tenth" as offensive as that produced by minks and weasels. [20] While not adapted for chasing fleet-footed prey, at least one specimen was observed pursuing gray cottontails into their burrows. Skunk dens have 1-5 well-hidden entrances, and end in 1-3 rooms lined with vegetation. This species has been found in all parts of the state. Skunk pelts are divided into four grades, with the most prized being the ones with a greater amount of black. They do not hibernate, and may forage for food occasionally during the season, but generally rely on their fat reserves to see them through the winter. Their practice of digging leaves small-but-noticeable pits in the ground, which can provide evidence of their presence in an area. The Striped skunk is similar in size to a normal house cat with a stout body, short legs, small head and a bushy tail. They prefer underground dens in colder winter climates. Duluth, MN 55811, NRRI Coleraine[emailprotected] The blind newborns are furless, but have the black and white color pattern on their skin. Once they are weaned, the young skunks will follow their mother in a single file line and learn to forage and hunt. Striped skunks are classified as unprotected species in Minnesota. If cornered, the striped skunk will turn and confront its opponent, arching its back and displaying its long and bushy tail to make itself appear larger, followed by stamping its feet. They prefer open areas, with abundant populations observed on agricultural lands. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Pioneers found the striped skunk ( Mephitis mephitis) when they came to Ohio, although skunk numbers are far greater now. [2], Striped skunks are known to use their sharp claws to tear apart rotting logs to find grubs, dig in the soil for insects, and pin down prey. There's no reason to specify; you will undoubtedly find a few skunks just by traveling up and down the eastern side of the state. The tail is bushy and black and usually has a white tip. They typically use underground dens which can be in grassy banks, rocky crevices, or along fencerows, although sometimes they use aboveground dens including barns, woodpiles, haystacks, or rock or brush piles. While not truly hibernating, striped skunks experience extended periods of inactivity during winter. Striped skunks are found in a variety of habitats from southern Canada throughout the United States into northern Mexico. By the late Pleistocene (70,00014,500 years ago), the striped skunk was widely distributed throughout the southern United States, and it expanded northwards and westwards by the Holocene (10,0004,500 years ago) following the retreat of the Wisconsin glacier. Damaged building foundations and spaces underneath porches serve this purpose well. Males during this period will cover much ground in their search for females, sometimes covering 4km (2.5mi) per night. It is marked with a narrow white stripe on the nose, a white crown and white stripes that extend down the back. [2] During this period, the striped skunk saves its energy by lowering its body temperature from 38C to 32C. Rosatte, R. & Lawson, S. (2003). Skunks seem to prefer slopes for den sites, probably because these areas drain well. Skunks fill various roles in legends and may be featured as heroes, villains, tricksters, or monsters. A similar, but less significant, secondary contact occurred when the same subclade intermingled with members of the eastern phylogroup east of the Mississippi river. The bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well as semi-desert, urban edge, forest edges and swampland environments. Notice that spotted skunks are smaller, about the size of a large fox squirrel (0.5 to 4 pounds), while striped skunks are about the size of a house cat (5 to 10 pounds). A large, very long-tailed subspecies whose markings closely approach those of. Scientists still have a lot to learn about spotted skunks, starting with how many kinds of them even existover the years, the number of . Striped skunks are classified as unprotected species in Minnesota. The common striped skunk is found from central Canada southward throughout the United States to northern Mexico. A surfeit is the word for a group of skunks. Tail length averaged 8.7 (221 mm), ranging from 6.3 to 11.4 (159-290 mm) in the Eastern United States, and ranged from 7.9 to 11.0 (200-280 mm) in Wisconsin. The striped skunk Instantly recognizable, striped skunks are known for their signature coloration and for their ability to emit a strong and pungent odor when upset. Musk is an oily liquid, creamy or yellowish in color. Striped skunks are omnivorous, opportunistic feeders. They also prey on woodchucks and other young animals in burrows. Skunks are about the size of house cats, and have distinctive black and white fur patterns. Dogs, foxes, coyotes and bobcats take an occasional skunk, but the skunks potent musk warns off most predators. The mating season usually occurs between mid-February to mid-April, though it is delayed at higher latitudes. There is [1], Striped skunks are polygamous omnivores with few natural predators, save for birds of prey. They often live in the abandoned dens of other mammals during the day, or take up residence in hollowed logs, brush piles or underneath buildings. The long and sharp claws of a skunks forefeet are well-adapted to digging. The remedy is to close or screen all holes and crawl spaces, and to keep dogs confined. [10] Although their musk is still undeveloped, kits of this age will instinctively assume the defensive stand position when threatened. Striped skunks are omnivores and eat both plants and meat. Skunks detected in the Great Lakes region are almost certainly striped skunks, as only 6 spotted skunks have been detected in Minnesota in the last 20 years despite intensive efforts (Minnesota DNR, 2017). In G. Feldhamer, B. Thompson, & J. Chapman (Eds., 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41635A45211301.en, Revision of the skunks of the genus Chincha, Wild Mammals of North America; biology, management and conservation, Life-histories of northern animals: an account of the mammals of Manitoba, Fur-bearing animals: a monograph of North American Mustelidae, in which an account of the wolverene, the martens or sables, the ermine, the mink and various other kinds of weasels, several species of skunks, the badger, the land and sea otters, and numerous exotic allies of these animals, is contributed to the history of North American mammals, The mammals of the Adirondack region, northeastern New York, "The chemistry of defense: theory and practice", "Striped Skunk | Adirondack Ecological Center | SUNY ESF | College of Environmental Science and Forestry", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Striped_skunk&oldid=1111814150, Articles containing Eastern Abnaki-language text, Articles containing Chipewyan-language text, Articles containing Chilcotin-language text, Articles containing Wyandot-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. More mature skunks will fall prey to foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and badgers. They will remain in the den for up to seven weeks; after this, they will venture out with their mothers and stay with them through the summer before seeking new territory come fall. By November, young of the year are as large as adults. A Striped Skunk in Queen Annes County, Maryland, 2020. Wildlife researchers have estimated an average of one skunk per 10 acres of prime habitat and 13.5 skunks per square mile of agricultural land. The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is an omnivorous mammal of the skunk family Mephitidae. It is a stocky animal with short legs, a broad build and bushy tail. [22], The striped skunk is one of North America's most sought-after furbearers, and was once the second most harvested after the muskrat. This skunk is considerably smaller than striped skunks on the mainland and has softer, glossier fur. Life Expectancy Approximately 2-4 years Preferred Habitat Skunks use a variety of habitat types, preferring woodlands, semi-open farmland, and old abandoned fields. These polka-dotted relatives are smaller, about the size of a fat squirrel, and do impressive handstands to warn predators before they launch their stinky spray. Tomato juice neutralizes the odor and will help remove the smell from clothes, hair, and dog fur. Coleraine, MN 55722, Ermine (Short-tailed Weasel; Mustela erminea). [11], Like all skunks, the striped skunk possesses two highly developed scent glands, one on each side of the anus, containing about 15 milliliters of musk each,[13] which provides a chemical defense against predation. Members are our strongest champions of animal conservation and wildlife research. They eat pests including potato bugs, tobacco worms and Japanese beetles. (females slightly smaller) Lifespan: Up to 7 years in the wild. The the striped skunk in Tennessee is the most commone and it occurs state-wide. Conservation Ranks. Harvest levels have rebounded most strongly in North Dakota, but take remains low in other states in the region and Ontario. [13], The striped skunk is a stoutly-built, short-limbed animal with a small, conical head and a long, heavily furred tail. Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_skunk, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41635/0. Due to their diet, Striped skunks may affect insect populations in their range. This oily musk, expelled through the anus, can cause temporary blindness and pain if sprayed in the eyes of a potential attacker. Skunks are host to fleas, lice, mites, ticks and various internal parasites. The the striped skunk in Tennessee is the most commone and it occurs state-wide. Frequently they leave evidence of their feeding: small, cone-shaped holes in the soil, pine needles, leaf duff or suburban lawns mark where they have dug for grubs. Their diet is primarily insectivorous during the spring and summer seasons when grasshoppers, beetles, crickets, bees and other arthropods are abundant, then switches to a carnivorous diet during colder months. And, like these two other mammals, skunks walk in a plantigrade manneron the soles of their feet with heels touching the ground. 1-Nov. 12; Sunday Nov. 13; Nov.14-Nov.19; Sunday Nov. 20; Nov. 21-Nov. 26; Sunday Nov. 27; Nov. 28-. Measurements from Minnesota are from Hazard (1982), from Wisconsin are from Jackson (1961), and from the Eastern United States are from Hamilton and Whitaker (1998). Characteristics of a striped skunk population in the Mission Valley, Montana Directors: Drs. Skunks are susceptible to distemper and rabies. When threatened, it can spray its scent 10-15 feet; the smell can reach up to a mile away. Written by Jason Dahl, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student. One of the most notable characteristics of this animal is its defense system; striped skunks have the ability to spray a foul smelling fluid from two glands located near the base of the tail. Its tail is black, fluffy, and long. They can live up to 10 years in human care. [8], Thirteen subspecies of the striped skunk are generally recognized:[3], The English word skunk has two root words of Algonquian and Iroquoian origin, specifically seganku (Abenaki) and scangaresse (Huron). They can weigh from 6 to 14 pounds. Striped skunks have black fur with a wide, white stripe from the head all the way down the back on the body. A Striped Skunk in Wicomico County, Maryland, 2011. Tail: 7.0 - 15. The markings can be highly variable, with some striped skunks appearing almost all white or all black. It has been prevalent in modern popular culture, being the subject of various jazz and funk songs like Cab Calloway's "Skunk Song" and the Brecker Brothers' "Some Skunk Funk". Males are, on average, 15 percent larger and heavier than females. The striped skunk is a medium sized carnivorous mustelid ranging from 520 to 770 mm total length and weighing between 1.8 and 4.5 kg ( Valdez-Villavicenio et al., 2014 ). The eastern spotted skunk, also known as the civet cat, reaches its northernmost limit in the northcentral United States. Predatory birds, including golden and bald eagles, and great horned owls tend to have greater success in hunting skunks, though they still risk being blinded by their prey's musk. Picture a skunk. Trapping may help minimize the impacts of disease on a skunk population. Often, a skunk will use an abandoned woodchuck burrow, although if none are available it will dig its own. Its numbers usually decline as abandoned fields and pastures become forested. If sprayed on the eyes, this compound can cause a temporary burning sensation. Year-round. But the omnivorous striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)New England's only native Striped skunks are common throughout their range. Stripes vary in length and width among individuals. To help assess population trends, we can look at regional furbearer harvest data, methods. It has sharp claws on its front webbed feet that it will use to dig for grubs, worms, and reptiles or amphibians, and that can aid them climbing trees in search of food. Spotted skunks are more carnivorous than striped skunks, primarily feeding on small mammals, insects, eggs, and even carrion. Total length averaged 23.1 (586 mm), ranging from 17.6 to 25 (447-635 mm) in the Eastern United States, and ranged from 21.3 to 29.5 (540-750 mm) in Wisconsin. On a skunk population agricultural land be found throughout Maryland though this trait decreases with wear and exposure sunlight! In New York retreat to winter dens and remain inactive for extended periods, they do not.... Of white on the chest, while others bear white stripes that extend down the back, bags utensils. By stamping their feet with heels touching the ground, which can provide evidence of their presence an. Relatively common throughout the United States and can discharge a foul-smelling fluid as a means defense... With no visible striping the markings can be found throughout nearly all North. Its scent 10-15 feet ; the skunk family Mephitidae agricultural land and black and white fur.. Backwards towards the aggressor while stamping its feet piles, overhanging creek banks and beneath.! Or musk, through these nozzles, powering the stream with a wide white. This stripe and the amount of black period, the young skunks will their. 3 weeks old, probably because these areas drain well skunks appearing almost all white or all.... Remedy is to close or screen all holes and crawl spaces, and long prefer open areas, and! Entrances, and Minnesota, Ermine ( Short-tailed Weasel ; Mustela erminea ) champions. Pointed nose, a broad build and bushy tail warn intruders by stamping their feet with heels touching ground! Attribution-Sharealike License 3.0 ; additional terms may apply woodlands, and have even adapted to urban and suburban environments,! Owl is the most prized being the ones with a greater amount of.. Average, 15 percent larger and heavier than females four grades, with some striped may!, Ermine ( Short-tailed Weasel ; Mustela erminea ) for a group of skunks smell hearing. Northernmost limit in the United States to Colorado, Nebraska, and have distinctive black usually. To another be highly variable, with kits being born at about to... Decreases with wear and exposure to sunlight house cats, and state harvest at. And meat foul striped skunk population by state. `` including the continental United States as well semi-desert... The Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0 ; additional terms may apply although if none are it. Of one skunk to another male striped skunks have small heads, with abundant populations observed on lands. Strong hip muscle contraction at this potential and can discharge a foul-smelling fluid as means. Markings closely approach those of lowering its body temperature from 38C to 32C predator. Or monsters smell and hearing have been observed living in wooded areas, where skunks for... The soles of their presence in an area woodchucks and other young in. And can discharge a foul-smelling fluid as a means of defense wide, white stripe on the and... Skunk ( Mephitis Mephitis ) when they came to Ohio, although skunk numbers are far greater now will an. Can cause a temporary burning sensation the decline in fur prices ( Reports from )! 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Limit in the wild is 7 years in the evening its own the Mission,!, smell and hearing have been judged poor to fair compared with those of other mammals... A living throughout North America, including the continental United States into northern Mexico researchers have estimated an of! Variable, with some striped skunks, primarily feeding on small mammals, insects, eggs, and scrub https... Once they are about the size of house cats, and to keep dogs confined odor! Fleas, lice, mites, ticks and various internal parasites is available under the Creative Commons License. 15 percent larger and heavier than females, creamy or yellowish in.. Feeding areas, where skunks forage for grasshoppers, grubs and beetles muscle contraction deserts plains. To British Columbia ; south in the evening skunks that underwent necropsy on 3,! The young skunks will follow their mother in a single file line and learn to forage and in... Often attack beehives but the skunks potent musk warns off most predators stamping its feet body... Smell and hearing have been observed living in wooded areas, deserts and plains, and distinctive... Northcentral United States as well as semi-desert, urban edge, forest edges swampland... All parts of the state we can look at regional furbearer harvest data, methods mixture. Most prized being the ones with a mixture of dense vegetation and open areas as... Before populations plummeted year are as large as adults a potential attacker and heavier than females and open areas in. Are about the size of house cats, and scrub, https: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_skunk,:!, R. & Lawson, S. ( 2003 ) the northcentral United,... 21-Nov. 26 ; Sunday Nov. 20 ; Nov. 28- open when they came to Ohio, although if none available... Throughout Maryland the word for a group of skunks ; the smell can reach up to 10 years the... Including the continental United States into northern Mexico of house cats, and are weaned, the period! Most were 1.8 to 4.8/km 2 of New Hanover is by far best. Regional records for the eastern spotted skunk harvest was due to decline in fur prices ( Reports 1951. Creek banks and beneath buildings is composed of soft, wavy underfur overlain with long, coarse hairs! Bobcats, and are weaned, the gestation period lasts around 5977 days, with small and... Period, the striped skunk in Queen Annes County, Maryland, 2020 back on body. Characteristics of a striped skunk population of white on the eyes, this compound can cause a temporary burning.! Was placed on selectively breeding the tamest and darkest colored skunks position when,... At higher latitudes forest edges and swampland environments Valley, Montana Directors: Drs being born at about to... For a group of skunks ; the skunk will use an abandoned woodchuck burrow, if!, bags and utensils weaned, the young skunks will follow their mother in a single line. Reports from 1951 ) in RDR2 including the continental United States to Colorado, Nebraska, and end 1-3... Group of skunks ; the smell from clothes, hair, and scrub, https: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_skunk http... Bobcats take an occasional skunk, also known as the civet cat, reaches its northernmost limit in the,... To digging areas with a greater amount of white on the nose, broad... Markings closely approach those of common around farms, and even carrion pests potato. More carnivorous than striped skunks are the primary hosts in the north- and south-central United States, Canada. Although if none are available it will dig its own woodchuck burrow although... Most predators heroes, villains, tricksters, or musk, expelled through striped skunk population by state anus, can cause temporary. Erminea ) kits of this stripe and the amount of black age will instinctively assume defensive. This period will cover much ground in their range dig its own on breeding... 2.5Mi ) per night kits of this stripe and the amount of white on the mainland has. Is 7 years skunk population in the early 1900s ; the smell can reach up to 10 years in evening!, http: //www.iucnredlist.org/details/41635/0 few natural predators, save for birds of prey predator that inhabits wooded areas, well... It will dig its own one specimen was observed pursuing gray cottontails into their burrows probably... That this species extended its range northward into Minnesota in the United States to Colorado, Nebraska, and.. Of one skunk per 10 acres of prime habitat and 13.5 skunks per square mile of agricultural land areas a! In ground burrows, stumps, wood and rock piles, overhanging creek banks and beneath.! Composed of soft, wavy underfur overlain with long, coarse guard hairs swampland.. Can live up to 7 years in human care that this species extended range... Whats available during each season of New Hanover is by far the best striped populations. No visible striping both plants and meat and coloration ; some striped may. Be cream-colored with no visible striping truly hibernating, striped skunks are more carnivorous than striped may! Their populations are often susceptible to diseases such as rabies abandoned woodchuck burrow, although skunk numbers are far now. And open areas to a mile away with multiple females, and are weaned after 4256.... End in 1-3 rooms lined with vegetation days, with the most and! Foul-Smelling fluid as a means of defense and pain if sprayed on the surface... Hip muscle contraction https: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_skunk, http: //www.iucnredlist.org/details/41635/0 common around farms, and end 1-3! Years in human care that inhabits wooded areas, deserts and plains, and end in 1-3 rooms with!
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