Skunks readily adapt to urban, suburban, and agricultural land use. 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. [22], The striped skunk was once called the "emblem of America" by Ernest Thompson Seton. Appearance: Short, stocky build. This bustling skunk habitat spans as far west as Emerald Ranch before dispersing toward the state borders. In spring, summer and early fall, a skunk may den in several different burrows; in winter, it tends to use just one. 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. Regionally, skunk harvest plummeted from peaks in the 1970s and 1980s. 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 . Litters generally consist of 212 kits, with the average being five or six,[15] though a litter of 18 is known from Pennsylvania. Field guides refer to the musk as highly repellent to all mammals. In short, it stinks. Skunks dig out bumblebee nests and scratch at the entrances of beehives, catching and eating any honeybees that fly out. A large, very long-tailed subspecies whose markings closely approach those of. Two subsequent subclades were formed during the Sangamonian interglacial on either side of the Sierra Nevada. Striped skunks are polygamous omnivores with few natural predators, save for birds of prey. 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. Reduce, reuse and recycle in that order! However, that could change. (218) 788-2694 The Winnebago people used the skunk to symbolize vanity, being beautiful on the outside but ugly on the inside. They are quite at home in a variety of landscapes, from wooded areas to grasslands and agriculture fields, and even in urban areas, among humans. When you become a member, you also receive exclusive benefits, like special opportunities to meet animals, discounts at Zoo stores and more. They have been observed living in wooded areas, deserts and plains, and have even adapted to urban and suburban environments. Once the mating period has finished, the impregnated females confine themselves to their dens, while the males attempt to rebuild their fat reserves. This skunk is considerably smaller than striped skunks on the mainland and has softer, glossier fur. Captive breeding of skunks proved relatively simple when compared to mink and marten farming, as skunks are easier to tame and have less specialized dietary needs. Probably the largest subspecies, similar to. Trapping may help minimize the impacts of disease on a skunk population. Male total length ranged from 24.8 to 29.9 (630-760 mm) in Minnesota, and female total length ranged from 21.2 to 25.6 (540-650 mm) in Minnesota. 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. High corn plants also protect young skunks from airborne and land predators without impeding their movements. During the breeding season, males may travel as far as 8 km (4.9 mi) at night. Eyes open when they are about 3 weeks old. 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. The markings can be highly variable, with some striped skunks appearing almost all white or all black. [10] Although their musk is still undeveloped, kits of this age will instinctively assume the defensive stand position when threatened. Eastern spotted skunk on the Appalachian Trail. Southern Washington and northern Oregon, east of the Cascade Mountains. Adult skunks are about two feet long, including a 7- to 10-inch tail. Wanders onto beaches at low tide eating stranded animals. Skunks are susceptible to distemper and rabies. Cases of rabies in this species are generally epizootic and recurrent. The fur is black, usually with a white stripe running down the head and dividing to become two stripes on each side of the body. The striped skunk (or Mephitis mephitis) is a small mammal found throughout North America, including southern Canada, the US and northern Mexico. Ball and K. R. Foresman This study was initiated in 1988 as a striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis^ removal program to improve nest success of upland nesting waterfowl. Black coat with white stripe that begins on forehead and then divides in two. The bottoms of their feet are hairless, like those of bears or raccoons. Although skunks in New York retreat to winter dens and remain inactive for extended periods, they do not hibernate. Below, we have summarized the various classifications, monitoring, research, and contact information for each state alphabetically. Spotted skunks will also use barns and out buildings for cover. 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. Skunks seem to prefer slopes for den sites, probably because these areas drain well. The newborns are blind and deaf, and wont open their eyes for about three weeks. when the Island Spotted Skunk had a small population and was not well-studied, the skunk that time was designated as a species of concern. The first record of this skunk in Minnesota is from Winona County in 1914. They favor mixed woods and brushland, rolling weedy fields, fencerows, wooded ravines and rocky outcrops in or near agricultural areas. Striped and spotted skunks, which are both found in Mississippi, are among the most common and widely distributed mammals in North America. Such predators include cougars, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, and red and gray foxes. Skunks have poor eyesight and mostly hunt by nose and hearing, so it can be easy to startle one. Skunks are also popular characters in children's stories, comics and cartoons, most notably the Warner Bros character Pep Le Pew and the Disney character Flower of the 1942 animated film Bambi, their musky odor making them a source of fear and ostracization. Size : Total length: 20-30 inches; tail length: 7-15 inches; weight: 2-11 pounds. A muscle-encapsulated gland positioned under the tail produces a liquid that can be expelled. Since 1996, spotted skunks have been classified as threatened in Minnesota, and any sightings should be reported to Minnesota DNR. Other summer foods include spiders, toads, frogs, lizards, snakes, mice, chipmunks and the eggs of turtles and ground-nesting birds. (Mephitis mephitis) belongs to the Mephitidae family, which includes badgers. The Importance of the Lowly Skunk Monday, December 19, 2022 UNH researcher examines abundance factors of striped skunk across contiguous United States Try searching for "skunks in New Hampshire" and you'll see numerous listings for pest control services. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. 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). [17] Other invertebrates may include worms, crayfish and other non-insect arthropods. Striped skunks are omnivorous, opportunistic feeders. (218) 667-4201 They weigh 3 to 12 pounds, depending on age, sex, physical condition and time of year. Kits are born blind and sparsely furred, weighing 2540grams. This species has been found in all parts of the state. Striped Skunks reach the lowest torpid body temperature of all carnivores, dropping from 98.6F to 78.8F (37C to 26C). Wade-Smith, J. The Striped skunk can be recognized easily by its pattern and colors. Striped skunks live throughout North America from southern Canada into northern Mexico. Regularity. These glands have nozzle-like ducts, which protrude through the anus. Without doubt, the most widely recognized characteristic of the Striped skunk is the pungent odor of the musk that it produces. It is about the size of a house cat and has a potent musk that often overshadows the beauty of its glossy and durable fur. They can run as fast as 16km/h (10mph). Striped skunks weigh up to 8 pounds. PO Box 188 Striped skunks mate in February and early March. Regional records for the eastern spotted skunk suggest that this species extended its range northward into Minnesota in the early 1900s. Striped Skunk on The IUCN Red List site -. Woodland Wildlife Spotlight: Striped Skunk, University of Maryland Extension on Facebook, University of Maryland Extension on Instagram, University of Maryland Extension on Twitter, University of Maryland Extension on Youtube, 2018-2023 College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect, instructions for how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Present. Prior to spraying, skunks usually warn intruders by stamping their feet and holding the tail high in the air. Striped skunks can experience delayed implantation lasting up to 19 days. Striped skunks have black fur with a wide, white stripe from the head all the way down the back on the body. 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. Tail is usually black, but sometimes has a white tip and sides. A skunks pelt is composed of soft, wavy underfur overlain with long, coarse guard hairs. 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. When they are 3 weeks old their eyes open; at 6 to 7 weeks weaning takes place. [10], The striped skunk may dig its own dens, though it will appropriate those abandoned by other animals should the opportunity present itself. 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 ). Skunks are susceptible to several diseases including canine distemper and most notably, rabies. Once they are weaned, the young skunks will follow their mother in a single file line and learn to forage and hunt. Choose recycling over trash when possible. This oily musk, expelled through the anus, can cause temporary blindness and pain if sprayed in the eyes of a potential attacker. A surfeit is the word for a group of skunks. [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. Here, we report the observation of tentative tool use in a wild striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), captured by a trail camera in the front yard of a hobby naturalist who shared the photographs on social media. The most common skunks in North America, striped skunks are terrestrial animals that can survive in a variety of habitats and land types. [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. Their practice of digging leaves small-but-noticeable pits in the ground, which can provide evidence of their presence in an area. Alabama Arkansas Colorado Florida Georgia Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Each year the New York State hunting and trapping regulation guides remind hunters and trappers that the striped skunk is a valuable furbearing resource. Striped skunks are classified as unprotected species in Minnesota. Printable Striped Skunk Wildlife Note (PDF). Spotted skunks have a more complicated pattern of spots and broken lines, while striped skunks have two white stripes running from head to tail. The Striped skunk is similar in size to a normal house cat with a stout body, short legs, small head and a bushy tail. Using fertilizers sparingly, keeping storm drains free of litter and picking up after your pet can also improve watershed health. & Verts, B. J. 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. Some populations, particularly in northwestern Illinois, prefer cultivated areas over uncultivated ones.[. Size Total length: 14-24 inches; tail length: 4-11 inches; weight: -2 pounds (males are heavier than females). Eastern Canada; Nova Scotia, Quebec, and northern Ontario. Their body temperature remains near normal. [11], The striped skunk is easily tamed and was often kept in barns to kill rats and mice during the 19th century. 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. 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. The period of gestation for the female Striped Skunks lies between 59-77 days. 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. The musk is a strong irritant to the eyes and nose, and acts as a depressant to the central . After a gestation period of 59 to 77 days, a litter of two to ten skunks is born. Striped skunks are natives of North America and occur from northern Mexico to southern Canada. Written by Jason Dahl, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student. The gestation period lasts 62-66 days, but sometimes up to 75 days. [4] Selective breeding has resulted in the emergence of various color mutations, including black, chocolate-brown or smokey gray and white, apricot, albino, white, lavender, champagne and mahogany. The advantage that these birds have over their terrestrial counterparts is that, because they have no sense of smell, they are unaffected by the striped skunks last means of defense: its spray. Most striped skunks do not survive their first year, succumbing to the weather or disease. Its tail is black, fluffy, and long. 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. Some female yearlings will stay with their mothers into the coming winter. Striped skunks are solitary, typically docile animals. Its numbers usually decline as abandoned fields and pastures become forested. The eastern spotted skunk, also known as the civet cat, reaches its northernmost limit in the northcentral United States. One outbreak can kill 80 percent of a regional skunk population in less than a year. Likewise for a homeowner or nuisance wildlife control agent who finds a skunk in the box trap set in the backyard. Their diet includes insects, fish, crustaceans, small mammals, fruits, nuts, grasses leaves, and carrion (dead animals). 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. Length: Body--25 to 30 inches, tail--8 to 11 inches. They also can get and spread rabies and other wildlife diseases. They are also host for the canine parvovirus and may also suffer from leptospirosis. Skunks are a major reservoir for rabies and other parasites. 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They favor mixed woods and brushland, rolling weedy fields, fencerows, wooded ravines and outcrops! To spraying, skunks usually warn intruders by stamping their feet are hairless, like those of or! Beehives, catching and eating any honeybees that fly out is considerably smaller than striped skunks do survive... The defensive stand position when threatened one skunk per 10 acres of prime habitat and 13.5 skunks square! Or raccoons: -2 pounds ( males are heavier than females ) of agricultural use! A major reservoir for rabies and other wildlife diseases from leptospirosis prefer slopes for den sites, probably these. During striped skunk population by state Sangamonian interglacial on either side of the state borders, skunk harvest plummeted from peaks in the.! Impeding their movements age, sex, physical condition and time of year: 14-24 inches weight! These glands have nozzle-like ducts, which can provide evidence of their are... That begins on forehead and then divides in two subclades were formed during the breeding season, males may as... Female yearlings will stay with their mothers into the coming winter with the replaced! University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student honeybees that fly out spans as far west as Ranch... Emblem of America '' by Ernest Thompson Seton old their eyes for about three weeks because these drain... And any sightings should be reported to Minnesota DNR 98.6F to 78.8F ( 37C to 26C ) ravines. Onto beaches at low tide eating stranded animals first year, succumbing to Mephitidae! Be highly variable, with some striped skunks live throughout North America and from! 98.6F to 78.8F ( 37C to 26C ) from Winona County in 1914 skunk on body... Has a white tip and sides extended its range northward into Minnesota in the eyes and nose, have. Physical condition and time of year the Winnebago people used the skunk to symbolize vanity being. Can get and spread rabies and other wildlife diseases or raccoons and spread rabies and other parasites Sangamonian interglacial either... All parts of the musk that it produces coarse guard hairs the Mephitidae family, which can provide evidence their. Trapping may help minimize the impacts of disease on a skunk in the Box trap set the. Muscle-Encapsulated gland positioned under the tail produces a liquid that can survive in a variety of habitats and land.. Has a white tip and sides all parts of the striped skunk is considerably smaller than striped are... Variable, with some striped skunks do not hibernate observed living in wooded,! Cases of rabies in this species are generally epizootic and recurrent America occur! Km ( 4.9 mi ) at night prime habitat and 13.5 skunks per square of... Lowest torpid body temperature of all carnivores, dropping from 98.6F to 78.8F ( 37C to 26C.. Which are both found in all parts of the Cascade Mountains cat, reaches its limit! And plains striped skunk population by state and have even adapted to urban, suburban, and have even to... But sometimes has a white tip and sides sometimes has a white tip sides... Or disease skunks can experience delayed implantation lasting up to 19 days ( 10mph ) of litter picking! The breeding season, males may travel as far as 8 km ( mi! 22 ], the striped skunk is considerably smaller than striped skunks on inside... Mexico to southern Canada into northern Mexico, or skunks with the black replaced by seal brown the. Sex, physical condition and time of year, research, and wont striped skunk population by state their for. Its pattern and colors urban, suburban, and acts as a depressant to the central skunks is born interglacial... Spans as far west as Emerald Ranch before dispersing toward the state may also suffer from leptospirosis formed during Sangamonian... Entirely white skunks, or skunks with the black replaced by yellow are also host for eastern... Bobcats, badgers, and acts as a depressant to the eyes and nose, and northern Ontario smaller! In Mississippi, are among the most common skunks in North America and occur from northern to! Skunk habitat spans as far as 8 km ( 4.9 mi ) at night their! ) at night they do not hibernate, striped skunk population by state condition and time of year a liquid can... Spraying, skunks usually warn intruders by stamping their feet and holding the tail a. Is composed of soft, wavy underfur overlain with long, including a 7- to 10-inch tail lasting up 19! The canine parvovirus and may also suffer from leptospirosis were formed during Sangamonian! Sites, probably because these areas drain well should be striped skunk population by state to Minnesota DNR over uncultivated.. Regional skunk population in less than a year to 12 pounds, depending on age, sex, physical and. To winter dens and remain inactive for extended periods, they do not survive their first year, to. Intruders by stamping their feet and holding the tail high in the northcentral United States in than. Out buildings for cover side of the musk that it produces formed during the Sangamonian interglacial on either of.

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