Often smelled before they are seen, skunks produce an obnoxious scent when provoked. Size: 18-32 inches long; up to 8 lbs. A large, very long-tailed subspecies whose markings closely approach those of. In warmer weather, they depend on insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles, crayfish, and worms, with occasional fruits and nuts. A surfeit is the word for a group of skunks. During the day, they nest in the abandoned dens that other animals have lived in, or in brush piles or hollowed logs, or underneath buildings. [10], The striped skunk may dig its own dens, though it will appropriate those abandoned by other animals should the opportunity present itself. [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 have been observed living in wooded areas, deserts and plains, and have even adapted to urban and suburban environments. . Regional records for the eastern spotted skunk suggest that this species extended its range northward into Minnesota in the early 1900s. [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. A threatened striped skunk will try to run away from a perceived predator. Skunks are a significant asset in controlling the populations of crop-destroying rodents and insects. They can run as fast as 16km/h (10mph). Similar Species: Eastern Spotted Skunk has vertical stripes or spots near rump and has white spots on forehead and in front of ears. Musk is an oily liquid, creamy or yellowish in color. Status in Tennessee: Striped Skunks may be abundant in certain areas, so there are no conservation concerns. In cultivated areas, striped skunks will dig their dens in fencerows, likely because they are less likely to be disturbed by machinery or livestock. The striped skunk is a cat-sized mammal with a prominent long-haired tail. Female striped skunks typically give birth once each year, with breeding occurring between February and April. Striped skunks mate in February and early March. Rabies outbreaks have affected populations in Illinois. 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. This oily musk, expelled through the anus, can cause temporary blindness and pain if sprayed in the eyes of a potential attacker. 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. The Winnebago people used the skunk to symbolize vanity, being beautiful on the outside but ugly on the inside. The remedy is to close or screen all holes and crawl spaces, and to keep dogs confined. [12] Adult males are 10% larger than females, with both sexes measuring between 52 and 77cm in total body length and usually weighing 1.84.5kg (4.09.9lb), though some may weigh 5.5kg (12lb). This page is available in other languages. Prairie region of Illinois, western Indiana, and eastern Iowa. Skunks occasionally raid hen houses, and feed heavily on waterfowl eggs. The breeding season is from February to April, and females typically give birth once a year. They are slightly larger and their scent is not as strong as the Eastern Spotted Skunk's. A skunk is colored black and white. In fall and winter, skunks eat fruit such as wild grapes and cherries; small mammals such as moles, mice, voles and shrews; plant items such as grasses, leaves and buds; mast and carrion. Because skunks are difficult to kill without having them discharge their musk (and thus ruin their fur) they were typically dispatched with a paralyzing blow to the lower back or drowned if caught in a box trap. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today remain stable. For reference, spotted skunks typically weigh less than 2 . From the late 1990s until present, North Dakota dominates regional harvest. Cut back on single-use goods, and find creative ways to reuse products at the end of their life cycle. [2], The striped skunk is one of the major carriers of the rabies virus, second only to raccoons in the US where skunks are 25% of annual cases. Alternatively, while the striped skunk is not likely to try to climb a tree, it can climb mesh fences fairly easily. These skunks only travel about 800 m from their home, yet they can walk about 2 km (1.2 mi) per night. (Verts, 1967). Its tail is black, fluffy, and long. As an opportunistic feeder, it will fill its diet with a variety of insects, small mammals, eggs, and occasional plants. It is also seenor its musky odor noticedin some suburban and urban locations, particularly near sources of open water. Young skunks follow their mothers in single file while learning to hunt and forage. The animal's body is from 8 to 19 inches long with a tail that can be as long as 15 inches. During the breeding season, males may travel as far as 8 km (4.9 mi) at night. It is a stocky animal with short legs, a broad build and bushy tail. The striped skunk is a mostly nocturnal omnivore. Average Size Striped skunks stand about 6 inches at the shoulder and weigh from 3 to 8 pounds, with males being 10 to 15 percent larger than females. By November, young of the year are as large as adults. Immune to snake venom, these animals will eat poisonous snakes such as rattlesnakes. 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. [11] Alternative English names for the striped skunk include common skunk,[12] Hudsonian skunk, northern skunk, black-tailed skunk and prairie polecat. They eat pests including potato bugs, tobacco worms and Japanese beetles. Striped skunks are polygamous omnivores with few natural predators, save for birds of prey. Skunk pelts are divided into four grades, with the most prized being the ones with a greater amount of black. The striped skunk is one of the major carriers of the rabies virus, second only to raccoons in the US where skunks are 25% of annual cases. In winter it is common for a single den to be occupied by multiple females and a single male. Striped skunks usually prefer areas that have large dead trees. Washington, DC 20008. I studied habitat, site, and population parameters of striped skunks, based on . Despite their unique system of defense, they are eaten, chiefly by great horned owls but also by eagles, crows, vultures, coyotes, foxes, dogs, bobcats, mountain lions, American badgers, and even humans. They also can get and spread rabies and other wildlife diseases. Weight: 3.5 - 10.0 pounds. And, contrary to popular opinion, it can discharge when hoisted by the tail. The striped skunk (or Mephitis mephitis) is a small mammal found throughout North America, including southern Canada, the US and northern Mexico. Maryland is home to two members of the skunk family. With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States. Common Name: Striped Skunk. Skunks are the primary hosts in the north- and south-central United States as well as in Canada. Present. The bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well as semi-desert, urban edge, forest edges and swampland environments. Population Trends To help assess population trends, we can look at regional furbearer harvest data, methods . Scientists still have a lot to learn about spotted skunks, starting with how many kinds of them even existover the years, the number of . Skunks. To a chemist, the spray consists of of four carbon and hydrogen compounds called thiols. Striped skunks live throughout North America from southern Canada into northern Mexico. 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). They are easily identifiable by the white stripe running from head to tail and each individual has a unique pattern of stripes. Field guides refer to the musk as highly repellent to all mammals. In short, it stinks. 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. Members are our strongest champions of animal conservation and wildlife research. In Kansas, the striped skunk is recognized as a leading rabies vector, often accounting for 80 percent of more of the animals that test positive for the disease each year. Skunks are placid and sluggish. Black coat with white stripe that begins on forehead and then divides in two. The spotted skunk is found mostly in the east, while the striped skunk is found throughout the state. Other mortality factors are diseases such as pneumonia, distemper, pulmonary aspergillosis, tularemia, brucellosis and rabies; highway kills, starvation and trapping. Skunks often leave holes in the ground where they forage for insects or tear apart ground nests of small animals. [5] 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. Females give birth in May, often in woodchuck burrows, to an average litter of six. Diet: Eats equal amounts of animal and plant foods, but eats more insects and animals in the spring and summer. [17] Other invertebrates may include worms, crayfish and other non-insect arthropods. Along with the woodchuck, raccoon, Canada goose, mourning dove, several species of blackbirds and other wildlife, the skunk prospers wherever humans clear land for farming and remove or drive out larger predators. Litters generally consist of 212 kits, with the average being five or six,[15] though a litter of 18 is known from Pennsylvania. May stretch the length of the back. Striped Skunk on The IUCN Red List site -. Habitat: Occurs around rocky, dense habitat, including fencerows, shrubby field borders, and farmland. They have a long history of association with humans, having been trapped and captively bred for their fur and kept as pets. It persists in much of its original range and populations are healthy. [2] Like all skunks, they possess highly developed musk-filled scent glands to ward off predators. Eastern Canada; Nova Scotia, Quebec, and northern Ontario. Litters number 2 to 10 kits. Community dens have been found containing 12 or more skunks, mostly females and young. The regulations allow only a limited, open harvest season. Until the early 1990s, Minnesota dominated regional harvest. When they are 3 weeks old their eyes open; at 6 to 7 weeks weaning takes place. Appearance: Short, stocky build. Skunks readily adapt to urban, suburban, and agricultural land use. [13], The striped skunk is a stoutly-built, short-limbed animal with a small, conical head and a long, heavily furred tail. Cases of rabies in this species are generally epizootic and recurrent. Cornfields are good feeding areas, where skunks forage for grasshoppers, grubs and beetles. 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