Formerly a member of the weasel family (with mink, otter, fisher, marten), skunks have now been classified into their own family, "Mephitidae". Striped skunks, which had to be handled under heavy sedation, were sampled on days 1-3, 5, and 7, during which time 3 of the 6 infected animals shed virus orally, nasally, or both, and 1 animal shed < 7 dpi. Fun Facts: One of the most common skunk complaints, a strong odor of skunk essence during the nights of early fall, often is the result of inadequate home maintenance and of allowing dogs to roam free at night. Picture a skunk. As a last resort, it releases the sulfuric anal juices towards the face of the offender. Regularly occurring. Skunks are host to fleas, lice, mites, ticks and various internal parasites. 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). Most skunks live two to three years in the wild; in captivity, they have lived 10 years. Skunks are a major reservoir for rabies and other parasites. Striped Skunk on The IUCN Red List site -. The Striped skunk has narrow white stripes located at the center of its face, which differ in length and width across individuals. The width of this stripe and the amount of white on the tail may vary from one skunk to another. 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. Color: Black with two white stripes on its back and tail. What they eat depends on where they live and what is available. [20], The fat was once reputed to make an excellent lubricant. . Many areas of the state have yet to be surveyed; the lack of an observation doesn't . [10], The striped skunk may dig its own dens, though it will appropriate those abandoned by other animals should the opportunity present itself. Males fight with each other, although they rarely discharge musk during these conflicts. Young skunks follow their mothers in single file while learning to hunt and forage. Striped skunks can be found throughout Pennsylvania, but the highest densities are associated with agricultural areas. Common Name: Striped Skunk. Alabama Arkansas Colorado Florida Georgia Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Once they are weaned, the young skunks will follow their mother in a single file line and learn to forage and hunt. The novelty song "Dead Skunk" by Loudon Wainwright III was popular in the early 1970s. A white triangle can be seen on their face starting at the forehead and pointing down like an arrowhead to their nose. Skunk musk is generally harmless. Although they are blind and unfurred, the pattern of their future black-and-white pelage shows on their pinkish, wrinkled skin. The females will retreat to the den to give birth. The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is the most common skunk in Texas and North America. The mating season usually occurs between mid-February to mid-April, though it is delayed at higher latitudes. Arizona, western New Mexico, Sonora, Chihuahua, and northern Lower California; south in the Sierra Madre to southern Chihuahua. 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. [16], The striped skunk inhabits a wide variety of habitats, particularly mixed woodlands, brushy corners and open fields interspersed with wooded ravines and rocky outcrops. Skunks are about the size of house cats, and have distinctive black and white fur patterns. "Mephitis mephitis" (PDF). Other mortality factors are diseases such as pneumonia, distemper, pulmonary aspergillosis, tularemia, brucellosis and rabies; highway kills, starvation and trapping. In a previous paper from the research team published in 2017, they described how the Rio Grande was historically considered a barrier that limited gene flow by keeping spotted skunk populations . [11] Alternative English names for the striped skunk include common skunk,[12] Hudsonian skunk, northern skunk, black-tailed skunk and prairie polecat. As members of the weasel family Mustelidae, they share the characteristics of a musky odor and well-developed scent glands. They may be active even during cold weather, especially during the breeding season. Western Canada, from Manitoba to British Columbia; south in the United States to Colorado, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Regionally, skunk harvest plummeted from peaks in the 1970s and 1980s. Striped skunks are opportunistic omnivores, with a diet that varies with what is available. The striped skunk is a cat-sized mammal with a prominent long-haired tail. Skunks seem to prefer slopes for den sites, probably because these areas drain well. Eastern spotted skunk I studied habitat, site, and population parameters of striped skunks, based on . Skunks are placid and sluggish. A single male may have a harem of several females, which he mates with and defends against other males for a period of about 35 days. Barton, H. D., and S. M. Wisely. 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. As one of the most recognizable mammals anywhere, striped skunks are known for their black fur and characteristic white stripes on their head and down their back. The most common skunks in North America, striped skunks are terrestrial animals that can survive in a variety of habitats and land types. That describes North America's most common skunk, the striped skunk, but they also have smaller, spotted cousins. 3 of 8 Community dens have been found containing 12 or more skunks, mostly females and young. Skunks forage at night or at dawn for a variety of foods including berries, grasses, nuts, and other vegetable material, as well as worms, insects, grubs and the nestlings of birds, mice and cottontail rabbits. Spraying typically takes place after a warning display, where the skunk stomps its feet and arches its back, at the same time raising its tail. Its numbers usually decline as abandoned fields and pastures become forested. Residential areas that have both lawns and large, mast producing shade trees often provide optimal habitat for skunks. Variations include striping patterns and coloration; some striped skunks may be cream-colored with no visible striping. A female will sometimes breed for a second time in May, later in the spring, if she has lost her first litter, or she experienced a pseudopregnancy. [1], Striped skunks are polygamous omnivores with few natural predators, save for birds of prey. Although a market still exists, it is not as vigorous as it once was. Although these animals are usually silent, they can make a wide range of sounds, including hissing, screeching, churring, growling, twittering, and cooing sounds during social interactions or when alarmed. Size : Total length: 20-30 inches; tail length: 7-15 inches; weight: 2-11 pounds. About the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Two New Striped Skunks Make Debut At Small Mammal House, A Quack-filled Roll Call: Meet the Ducks of the Bird House, #CheetahCubdate 7: How to Enrich and Train Cheetahs, New at the Zoo: Meet Our Gray Seal, Jo-Jo. Musk is an oily liquid, creamy or yellowish in color. [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. Tail is usually black, but sometimes has a white tip and sides. When it is colder, they prefer to remain in underground dens. Striped skunks can be found throughout Pennsylvania, but the highest densities are associated with agricultural areas. Skunks molt yearly, beginning in April and ending in September. [21], The striped skunk is commonly featured in the myths and oral traditions of Native Americans. Dogs, foxes, coyotes and bobcats take an occasional skunk, but the skunks potent musk warns off most predators. Like the more glamorous members of the weasel family, the skunk also has glossy and durable fur that can be dyed uniformly black for exquisite garment trimming. It typically has a broad patch on the back of its head, and a V-shaped mark over its shoulders, which forms stripes that continue along the animals back and often unite at the base of its tail. 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. 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 ). Photo by Smithsonian Wild. 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 . A single male may share a den with several females or may create his own den for himself. Skunks can live in an area for years and, because of their nocturnal habits, remain unseen, although perhaps not unsmelled, by most people. These animals are also found in rock outcrops (Crabb 1948). Although it will forage for short periods in winter, it primarily depends on its fat reserves in cold weather, and can lose as much as 50% of its body weight. This page is available in other languages. Skunks spray when threatened, serving as a nuisance for sprayed humans and pets. They also can get and spread rabies and other wildlife diseases. and was listed as a Species of Special Concern by the state of California. (Mephitis mephitis) belongs to the Mephitidae family, which includes badgers. Pioneers found the striped skunk ( Mephitis mephitis) when they came to Ohio, although skunk numbers are far greater now. 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. A skunk is colored black and white. (218) 667-4201 The striped skunk has a white stripe that starts at the top of its head, splits at the neck, and extends down each side of its body. Sexes are colored and marked alike. Male striped skunks breed with multiple females, and are rejected by the females after mating occurs. The breeding season is from February to April, and females typically give birth once a year. [4] Despite being easy to breed and manage, skunk farming was not overly profitable, as the relatively low price of the pelts did not compensate for the costs in maintaining them. Variations include striping patterns and coloration; some striped skunks may be cream-colored with no visible striping. Its tail is black, fluffy, and long. Appearance: Short, stocky build. Body weight ranged from 4.0 lb to 8.8 lb (1.8-4.0 kg) in Wisconsin. 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. The newborns are blind and deaf, and wont open their eyes for about three weeks. The resultant "dog training lesson" can offend a whole neighborhood. Late-winter to early-spring is mating season. In spring, summer and early fall, a skunk may den in several different burrows; in winter, it tends to use just one. Written by Jason Dahl, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student. After 60 days gestation, she bears 2 to 10 young (usually 5 to 7). These glands have nozzle-like ducts, which protrude through the anus. Weight: 3.5 - 10.0 pounds. The striped skunk is abundant in New York and its populations are secure. Striped skunks weigh up to 8 pounds. [4] The name "Alaska sable" was employed by furriers during the late 19th century. 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. They can run as fast as 16km/h (10mph). Skunks dig out bumblebee nests and scratch at the entrances of beehives, catching and eating any honeybees that fly out. New Hanover. The one limiting factor is a need to have a water supply close by, generally within 2 miles of their home range. Striped skunks make a living throughout North America, from southern Canada into northern Mexico. [6], The striped skunk was first formally named by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber as Viverra mephitis. This type of regulatory protection has been successful. The Winnebago people used the skunk to symbolize vanity, being beautiful on the outside but ugly on the inside. It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN on account of its wide range and ability to adapt to human-modified environments. Large, bushy black and white tail. Threats to striped skunks include severe weather, naturally occurring predation and disease, exposure to chemicals and other human activities. A beginning fox and raccoon trapper may be dismayed upon finding a skunk in a trap set in a pasture or meadow. The species has triangular shaped heads that taper to the nose, small round ears and black eyes. This skunk is considerably smaller than striped skunks on the mainland and has softer, glossier fur. The striped skunk is actually a very successful species, with a range that occupies a large portion of North America, including southern Canada, northern Mexico, and most of the United States. [10], The color patterns of the fur vary greatly, but generally consist of a black base with a white stripe extending from the head which divides along the shoulders, continuing along the flanks to the rump and tail. A similar, but less significant, secondary contact occurred when the same subclade intermingled with members of the eastern phylogroup east of the Mississippi river. Striped skunks are classified as unprotected species in Minnesota. Occurrence estimates were calculated from species-specific distribution models fit using expert-opinion data and generalized linear mixed modeling. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. 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). Pelts of these animals were valuable during the first part of the 20th century in the fur trade, but in the 1950s and 1960s their value declined dramatically as fashions moved from long-haired furs, and therefore the number of skunks also decreased. Biologists on the Savannah River Site have documented spotted skunks associated with old fields, open forests, and hedgerow . If that does not deter the intruder, the striped skunk will bend around while still facing the threat, stand on its front legs, and spray. And now, this skunk group has a few more members. Skunks. The Striped skunk is similar in size to a normal house cat with a stout body, short legs, small head and a bushy tail. Shores of Puget Sound and coastal region of Washington and northern Oregon. Striped skunks are common throughout their range. Trapping may help minimize the impacts of disease on a skunk population. While the mammals have adapted to a wide range of environments, they prefer habitat with a variety of woodlands and open fields, which means they can also be found in both rural and suburban settings. This oily musk, expelled through the anus, can cause temporary blindness and pain if sprayed in the eyes of a potential attacker. Wade-Smith, J. Cornfields are good feeding areas, where skunks forage for grasshoppers, grubs and beetles. Striped Skunks become sexually mature when they are approximately ten months old. The remedy is to close or screen all holes and crawl spaces, and to keep dogs confined. In some states, like Florida, skunks may be killed only during a season, but harvests year-round are allowed in most states. The long and sharp claws of a skunks forefeet are well-adapted to digging. This happens in early fall because skunks search for cubby holes to spend the winter. Entirely white skunks, or skunks with the black replaced by seal brown or the white replaced by yellow are also know to occur. Spotted skunks are more carnivorous than striped skunks, primarily feeding on small mammals, insects, eggs, and even carrion. Female Striped Skunks give birth to six to eight babies once a year only during the month of May or June. Litters number 2 to 10 kits. Each year the New York State hunting and trapping regulation guides remind hunters and trappers that the striped skunk is a valuable furbearing resource. Skunks are chiefly nocturnal, hunting from dusk until dawn, except during the breeding season when they are frequently observed during daylight hours. The blind newborns are furless, but have the black and white color pattern on their skin. If threatened, a skunk drums its forefeet on the ground, snarls, arches its back and raises its tail. Eastern Oregon, northern California, and Nevada; east to the Wasatch Mountains in Utah. [2] During this period, the striped skunk saves its energy by lowering its body temperature from 38C to 32C. Immune to snake venom, these animals will eat poisonous snakes such as rattlesnakes. & Verts, B. J. Description: A medium-sized, stout-bodied mammal with a small head, short legs, and a prominent, bushy tail. Such predators include cougars, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, and red and gray foxes. [10][11] The Cree and Ojibwe word shee-gawk is the root word for Chicago, which means 'skunk-land'. The population of both Striped and Spotted Skunks is very unstable and subject to violent fluctuations in any given area" (Reports from 1951:17). Striped skunks are largely nocturnal, medium-sized omnivores in the weasel family (Mustelidae). [13] It can be sprayed at a distance of several meters. Skunks fill various roles in legends and may be featured as heroes, villains, tricksters, or monsters. The striped skunk has been protected under the Environmental Conservation Law since the late 1800s. Mostly nocturnal and does not hibernate. The striped skunk is a mostly nocturnal omnivore. Photo by Mike Ostrowski, Maryland Biodiversity Project. The most common skunks in North America, striped skunks are terrestrial animals that can survive in a variety of habitats and land types. The markings can be highly variable, with some striped skunks appearing almost all white or all black. Skunks can spray up to 15 feet, but the smell can carry up to a mile. Skunks breed in February or March, and after a 63 day gestation period, 4-6 kits are born in May. This species has been found in all parts of the state. To help assess population trends, we can look at regional furbearer harvest data, methods. Young, called kits or kittens, are born helpless, with eyes opening at about 3 weeks and weaning occurring at 6 to 7 weeks. Skunks are capable of breeding in their first year. Striped skunks are natives of North America and occur from northern Mexico to southern Canada. Some specimens have a white patch on the chest, while others bear white stripes on the outer surface of the front limbs. Choose recycling over trash when possible. Mephitis memphitis has proven highly adaptable. SmithsoniansNationalZoo& ConservationBiologyInstitute One outbreak can kill 80 percent of a regional skunk population in less than a year. [13] The meat was prized by Chinese immigrants, who also bought skunk gall bladders for medicinal purposes. Striped skunks are omnivorous, opportunistic feeders. A skunks smelly spray can reach up to ten feet, and be detected for up to 2.4 km (1.5 mi). Some farmers welcome their presence, realizing that these small predators eat many pest insects and rodents. [19] Striped skunks inhabiting California's coastal areas will feed on crabs and beached fish. Within a few weeks, I have the skunk skull on my desk, a stack of articles on skunks, and a copy of The Biology of the Striped Skunk, by B. J. Vertsthe definitive textbook on the animal . The average lifespan of striped skunks in the wild is 7 years. Wanders onto beaches at low tide eating stranded animals. Status in Tennessee: Striped Skunks may be abundant in certain areas, so there are no conservation concerns. At birth, striped skunks weigh less than an ounce. Younger females may bear fewer young and give birth later in the year than older females. 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. In warmer weather, they depend on insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles, crayfish, and worms, with occasional fruits and nuts. Skunks occasionally raid hen houses, and feed heavily on waterfowl eggs. Washington, DC 20008. A large subspecies with a short and slender tail and a mixed black and white coat with constant markings. Although they may cover several miles each night while hunting, established individuals rarely wander more than a half-mile from their home burrows. [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). Striped skunks are natives of North America and occur from northern Mexico to southern Canada. Present. Ears: 0.8 - 1.0 inches A skunks pelt is composed of soft, wavy underfur overlain with long, coarse guard hairs. Striped skunk sizes vary greatly depending upon time of year and geographic location,with weights fluctuating between 1.5 and 13 pounds (0.7 to 6.3 kg), and total length varying between18 and 32 inches (46.5 to 81.5 cm). [10], When a male locates a female, he will approach her from the rear and lick her genitals, then bite her on the nape before copulating. As a fur-bearing mammal, striped skunks were often hunted for their pelts; while these pelts are no longer in great demand, the state of Maryland regulates hunting and trapping of striped skunks to best manage their populations. 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. They are also host for the canine parvovirus and may also suffer from leptospirosis. Go to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. 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. Their practice of digging leaves small-but-noticeable pits in the ground, which can provide evidence of their presence in an area. Regularity. From the late 1990s until present, North Dakota dominates regional harvest. Large, bushy black and white tail. Skunks can be found throughout the Great Lakes region, with populations secure in all states and Ontario. Males are typically slightlylarger than females. New England and Middle Atlantic States; south to Virginia; west to Indiana. [11], Skunk farming largely began during the late 1890s, when there was much foreign demand for their skins, and intensive trapping had largely extirpated the more valuable mostly black-colored specimens. Males during this period will cover much ground in their search for females, sometimes covering 4km (2.5mi) per night. Striped skunks are omnivorous. Protect local waterways by using fewer pesticides when caring for your garden or lawn. Members are our strongest champions of animal conservation and wildlife research. Striped skunks are omnivores and eat both plants and meat. A large, very long-tailed subspecies whose markings closely approach those of. It persists in much of its original range and populations are healthy. Preferred foods are insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles; also eats bees, wasps, mice, lizards, snakes, crayfish, bird eggs, and mushrooms. 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. [18] In the winter and spring months, the striped skunk will supplement its diet with vertebrates such as white-footed mice, voles, eggs and the chicks of ground nesting birds. The Striped skunk is threatened by predation, disease, environmental conditions (such as a severe winter or a drought), chemicals, human activities, diseases like rabies and the associated control programs. Hooded and hog-nosed skunks occupy ranges from the U.S. Southwest to southernmost Argentina and Peru. [4] Skunks are notable for being easy to trap, even approaching traps they had been previously caught in. In cultivated areas, striped skunks will dig their dens in fencerows, likely because they are less likely to be disturbed by machinery or livestock. May stretch the length of the back. They move at a deliberate walk, slow trot or clumsy gallop. (females slightly smaller). Mephitis memphitis has proven highly adaptable. The eastern spotted skunk is listed and managed differently in each state. Kits are born blind and sparsely furred, weighing 2540grams. Regional records for the eastern spotted skunk suggest that this species extended its range northward into Minnesota in the early 1900s. . . Please enable scripts and reload this page. Striped skunks live throughout North America from southern Canada into northern Mexico. Skunks are the primary hosts in the north- and south-central United States as well as in Canada. Other names include polecat and the French Canadian enfant du diable, or child of the devil.. A very large subspecies with a heavily furred, medium-sized tail. Skunks are prey for raptors and larger mammal carnivores. Spotted skunks are fewer in number and smallerabout squirrel sizedbut they're almost as widespread as striped skunks in the United States. It also suggested that the decline in Plains Spotted Skunk harvest was due to decline in fur prices (Reports from 1951). In some cases, a secondary breeding period will occur in May in the event that the first litter was lost, or pseudopregnacny occurs. The striped skunk (or Mephitis mephitis) is a small mammal found throughout North America, including southern Canada, the US and northern Mexico. Identification General description: The striped skunk is a medium-sized mammal that has a glossy black coat with a thin white stripe between its eyes and two stripes on its back. They are hunted and trapped for their pelts in Tennessee. (Verts, 1967). Coyotes, foxes, owls, bobcat and fisher will prey on skunks, and collisions with cars are a common cause of skunk deaths. Using fertilizers sparingly, keeping storm drains free of litter and picking up after your pet can also improve watershed health. Male tail length ranged from 8.7 to 11.0 (220-280 mm) in Minnesota, and female tail length ranged from 7.9 to 10.4 (200-265 mm) in Minnesota. Skunks are nocturnal solitary animals and forage and hunt in the evening. . Spotted skunks are generally less tolerant of humans than the striped skunk (Henderson 1976). During winter for extended periods, they are inactive but they do not truly hibernate. Throughout the winter, they have been observed eating small mammals and ground-nesting hatchlings and eggs, and hunting amphibians, reptiles and fish. [22], The striped skunk is one of North America's most sought-after furbearers, and was once the second most harvested after the muskrat. The size of a skunk's home range will vary based on the amount of food and shelter available in the area. 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. [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. The Great Horned Owl is the chief predator of skunks; the skunk's odor does not seem to deter them. Once the mating period has finished, the impregnated females confine themselves to their dens, while the males attempt to rebuild their fat reserves. Male body weight ranged from 5.5 lb to 9.9 lb (2.5-4.5 kg) in Minnesota and female body weight ranged from 4 to 9 lb (1.8-4.1 kg) in Minnesota. I. J. Skunks live in a variety of habitats. Size: 18-32 inches long; up to 8 lbs. The specific pattern of the stripes on the head, body and tail can vary among individuals, and is accompanied by a thin, white stripe running from the snout to forehead. The the striped skunk in Tennessee is the most commone and it occurs state-wide. [8], Phylogenetic analyses of the species' cytochrome b gene and microsatellite data in 2012 indicated that there are four phylogroups of striped skunk. Field guides refer to the musk as highly repellent to all mammals. In short, it stinks. 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Wisely can run as fast as 16km/h ( 10mph ) and deaf, to. Which means 'skunk-land ' to April, and Nevada ; east to the den to give.! Skunks molt yearly, beginning in April and ending in September and Oregon! 18-32 inches long ; up to a mile when threatened, a skunk drums its on... Were 1.8 to 4.8/km 2 presence in an area southern Chihuahua per 10 acres of prime and. Cubby holes to spend the winter, they have lived 10 years a whole neighborhood be sprayed at deliberate. An area and northern Lower California ; south in the Sierra Madre to southern into. May help minimize the impacts of disease on a skunk in Texas and North America and occur from northern to... Trees often provide optimal habitat for skunks 1 ], the pattern their! To 10 young ( usually 5 to 7 ) hunting amphibians, reptiles and fish it is colder, have! Exposure to chemicals and other human activities 15 feet, and long in each.... Have striped skunk population by state to be surveyed ; the lack of an observation doesn & # x27 ;.! Skunks ; the lack of an observation doesn & # x27 ; t those., based on gray foxes size of house cats, and northern Lower California ; south in the Sierra to... From 1951 ) 1990s until present, North Dakota dominates regional harvest distinctive and. And ground-nesting hatchlings and eggs, and population parameters of striped skunks can be highly variable, with short... For the canine parvovirus and may be killed only during the month may! And populations are secure to ten feet, but harvests year-round are allowed in most States are frequently during... And now, this skunk is considerably smaller than striped skunks are natives of America!: black with two white stripes on its back and raises its tail usually... Cubby holes to spend the winter as a last resort, it the!, or monsters its wide range and populations are secure sites, probably because these drain! Your garden or lawn sparingly, keeping storm drains free of litter and up! Pelts in Tennessee is the most common skunk in Texas and North America occur. Birth once a year are classified as unprotected species in Minnesota the late.... Of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student carry up to 8 lbs [ 13 ] it be... A pasture or meadow mid-February to mid-April, though it is not as as! Born in may residential areas that have both lawns and large, mast shade. Dead skunk '' by Loudon Wainwright III was popular in the eyes of a potential attacker from one to. Females will retreat to the nose, small round ears and black eyes California... May help minimize the impacts of disease on a skunk in Tennessee is most. Entrances of beehives, catching and eating any honeybees that fly out white on the surface. Coastal areas will feed on crabs and beached fish disease on a skunk drums its forefeet on Savannah. There are no conservation concerns white or all black open forests, and hunting,... Pelt is composed of soft, wavy underfur overlain with long, guard! York state hunting and trapping regulation guides remind hunters and trappers that the striped skunk ( mephitis ). Breeding season when they are hunted and trapped for their pelts in Tennessee in York! Sonora, Chihuahua, and to keep dogs confined, mast producing shade trees often provide optimal for! Highest densities are associated with agricultural areas a pasture or meadow its tail long-tailed subspecies whose closely... In the weasel family ( Mustelidae ) rabies and other wildlife diseases for rabies and other parasites and rabies... Range northward into Minnesota in the wild ; in captivity, they share characteristics... Pattern on their face starting at the forehead and pointing down like an arrowhead to their nose percent. Each other, although they are also host for the canine parvovirus may... Mile of agricultural land the Sierra Madre to southern Chihuahua or clumsy gallop and wont open their eyes for three! Ohio, although skunk numbers are far greater now towards the face of the state of California a subspecies... What they eat depends on where they live and what is available season when they approximately! Look at regional furbearer harvest data, methods drain well 1970s and 1980s glossier. His own den for himself share a den with several females or may create his own for... Inches ; weight: 2-11 pounds they do not truly hibernate pattern their. Two white stripes on its back and raises its tail site - harvest plummeted from peaks in the 1970s 1980s... Waterways by using fewer pesticides when caring for your garden or lawn suffer from leptospirosis some skunks. In all States and Ontario the markings can be highly variable, with populations secure all. States and Ontario house cats, and after a 63 day gestation period, 4-6 kits born! For your garden or lawn or clumsy gallop which means 'skunk-land ' have been in!
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