Description: A medium-sized, stout-bodied mammal with a small head, short legs, and a prominent, bushy tail. Cases of rabies in this species are generally epizootic and recurrent. During winter for extended periods, they are inactive but they do not truly hibernate. Eastern spotted skunk on the Appalachian Trail. 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. Alternatively, while the striped skunk is not likely to try to climb a tree, it can climb mesh fences fairly easily. Gestation takes approximately two months, so that by May a female is caring for an average litter of five or six young. [4] The name "Alaska sable" was employed by furriers during the late 19th century. 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. Great variation in color pattern and size of stripes. Appearance: Short, stocky build. Rabies outbreaks have affected populations in Illinois. They will hunt with the mother for the first time around 7 weeks and weaning occurs at 8 weeks. The value of each pixel in the map is an estimate of the species probability of occurrence. They occasionally receive mice, eggs, nuts and select fruits as well. 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. However, recent surveys now . Skunks are nocturnal solitary animals and forage and hunt in the evening. The remedy is to close or screen all holes and crawl spaces, and to keep dogs confined. Southern Washington and northern Oregon, east of the Cascade Mountains. Skunks have poor eyesight and mostly hunt by nose and hearing, so it can be easy to startle one. Photo by Mike Ostrowski, Maryland Biodiversity Project. A skunk is colored black and white. Skunks are about the size of house cats, and have distinctive black and white fur patterns. Skunks readily adapt to urban, suburban, and agricultural land use. They are easily identifiable by the white stripe running from head to tail and each individual has a unique pattern of stripes. Striped skunks can be found throughout Pennsylvania, but the highest densities are associated with agricultural areas. They are hunted and trapped for their pelts in Tennessee. [2] Like all skunks, they possess highly developed musk-filled scent glands to ward off predators. This association likely resulted in the striped skunk's subsequent unfavorable reputation as a poultry thief, despite it being a much less destructive animal than the true polecat. [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. The average lifespan of striped skunks in the wild is 7 years. They are also host for the canine parvovirus and may also suffer from leptospirosis. Some populations, particularly in northwestern Illinois, prefer cultivated areas over uncultivated ones.[. [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. More mature skunks will fall prey to foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and badgers. [20] While not adapted for chasing fleet-footed prey, at least one specimen was observed pursuing gray cottontails into their burrows. They also prey on woodchucks and other young animals in burrows. Mephitis memphitis has proven highly adaptable. Keystone State. Striped skunks can be found throughout Pennsylvania, but the highest densities are associated with agricultural areas. In winter it is common for a single den to be occupied by multiple females and a single male. Although they are blind and unfurred, the pattern of their future black-and-white pelage shows on their pinkish, wrinkled skin. Western Canada, from Manitoba to British Columbia; south in the United States to Colorado, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Length: Body--25 to 30 inches, tail--8 to 11 inches. [19] Striped skunks inhabiting California's coastal areas will feed on crabs and beached fish. [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). Skunks breed in February or March, and after a 63 day gestation period, 4-6 kits are born in May. Striped Skunks become sexually mature when they are approximately ten months old. [10], The striped skunk may dig its own dens, though it will appropriate those abandoned by other animals should the opportunity present itself. Entirely white skunks, or skunks with the black replaced by seal brown or the white replaced by yellow are also know to occur. Striped skunks were a staple of the fur trade into the 1950s, but low pelt . A surfeit is the word for a group of skunks. 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. "Mephitis mephitis" (PDF). The striped skunk is a black and white mammal about the size of a house cat. A skunk can shoot musk about twelve feet, but will use it as only a last resort, preferring, instead, to bluff an enemy. 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. The bottoms of their feet are hairless, like those of bears or raccoons. It can be found throughout nearly all of North America, including the continental United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. Variations include striping patterns and coloration; some striped skunks may be cream-colored with no visible striping. Cut back on single-use goods, and find creative ways to reuse products at the end of their life cycle. I. J. The size of a skunk's home range will vary based on the amount of food and shelter available in the area. Striped skunks are common throughout their range. A free roaming dog often aggravates the situation by chasing the prowling skunk. [11] American zoologist Clinton Hart Merriam described skunk meat as white, tender, sweet and more delicate than chicken. 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". I studied habitat, site, and population parameters of striped skunks, based on . 0 inches The striped skunk is a mostly nocturnal omnivore. They weigh 3 to 12 pounds, depending on age, sex, physical condition and time of year. 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. Skunks are less abundant in closed forest or in areas with a water table that impacts den sites, but are common in most other portions of their range, including suburban, urban, and rural habitats. Prairie region of Illinois, western Indiana, and eastern Iowa. Its narrow face has a pointed snout, and small round ears. [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. Skunks are susceptible to several diseases including canine distemper and most notably, rabies. In cultivated areas, striped skunks will dig their dens in fencerows, likely because they are less likely to be disturbed by machinery or livestock. Weight: 3.5 - 10.0 pounds. Striped skunks are the biggest of the skunk species. Skunks are placid and sluggish. New England and Middle Atlantic States; south to Virginia; west to Indiana. This striped skunk caught a vole. Striped and spotted skunks, which are both found in Mississippi, are among the most common and widely distributed mammals in North America. 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 period of gestation for the female Striped Skunks lies between 59-77 days. 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. The most common skunks in North America, striped skunks are terrestrial animals that can survive in a variety of habitats and land types. Damaged building foundations and spaces underneath porches serve this purpose well. Striped Skunk males can breed at about 10 months of age, females at about 11 months. Body weight ranged from 4.0 lb to 8.8 lb (1.8-4.0 kg) in Wisconsin. At birth, striped skunks weigh less than an ounce. The newborns are blind and deaf, and wont open their eyes for about three weeks. The regulations allow only a limited, open harvest season. PO Box 188 Its body is often mostly black, with white occurring in a narrow blaze up the middle of its forehead. Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_skunk, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41635/0. 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. 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. Newborns are helpless and rely completely on their mother. They have a long, bushy tail made up of white and black hairs. Residential areas that have both lawns and large, mast producing shade trees often provide optimal habitat for 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. Other predators include birds of prey such as great horned owls and bald eagles. Occurrence estimates were calculated from species-specific distribution models fit using expert-opinion data and generalized linear mixed modeling. Make a donation to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute today! And, like these two other mammals, skunks walk in a plantigrade manneron the soles of their feet with heels touching the ground. [11] The skunk will also consume vegetable matter, such as apples, blueberries, black cherries, ground cherries, corn and nightshade when in season. Hunting and trapping are regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, regulations. Eastern Oregon, northern California, and Nevada; east to the Wasatch Mountains in Utah. Found north of Mexico, it is one of the best-known mammals in Canada and the United States. 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. 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. They eat pests including potato bugs, tobacco worms and Japanese beetles. Southern and western Texas, eastern New Mexico, and adjacent parts of Mexico; north into Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska. To one early 20th century naturalist, it was a mixture of perfume musk, essense of garlic, burning sulfur and sewer gas magnified a thousand times. Below, we have summarized the various classifications, monitoring, research, and contact information for each state alphabetically. When you become a member, you also receive exclusive benefits, like special opportunities to meet animals, discounts at Zoo stores and more. Although they may cover several miles each night while hunting, established individuals rarely wander more than a half-mile from their home burrows. Without doubt, the most widely recognized characteristic of the Striped skunk is the pungent odor of the musk that it produces. (Verts, 1967). Come spring, striped skunk males will mate with several females during late February through early March. This page is available in other languages. They prefer open areas, with abundant populations observed on agricultural lands. They can swim, but are poor climbers. Females give birth in May, often in woodchuck burrows, to an average litter of six. [11] At this point, the kits may accompany their mother outside the den, becoming independent after 2 months. [4] Emphasis was placed on selectively breeding the tamest and darkest colored skunks. Spotted skunks are more carnivorous than striped skunks, primarily feeding on small mammals, insects, eggs, and even carrion. This type of regulatory protection has been successful. 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 ). 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. In addition to their namesake markings, these skunks, found in the eastern U.S., differ from striped skunks in that they lift themselves into an impressive handstand position before they spray. Skunks are a significant asset in controlling the populations of crop-destroying rodents and insects. Mephitis macrourais the other New World species in the same genus, occurring primarily in Mexico and Central America;M. mephitisandM. macrouraranges overlap along a narrow strip of the U.S.-Mexico border in the southwest U.S., into northern Mexico. It has broad stripes that cover its body length, although the coloration may vary. [11] Prior to the First World War, skunk pelts were primarily shipped to Europe until better methods of deodorizing and processing the skins lead to increased interest in selling them for North American consumption. Most skunks do not survive their first year because of infectious diseases and severe weather conditions. 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). The tail is bushy and black and usually has a white tip. Kits are born blind and sparsely furred, weighing 2540grams. Hunting and trapping are regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, regulations here. 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. With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States. Skunks fill various roles in legends and may be featured as heroes, villains, tricksters, or monsters. Such predators include cougars, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, and red and gray foxes. Skunks molt yearly, beginning in April and ending in September. Common Name: Striped Skunk. Wanders onto beaches at low tide eating stranded animals. They den in ground burrows, stumps, wood and rock piles, overhanging creek banks and beneath buildings. A large, very long-tailed subspecies whose markings closely approach those of. New Hanover. It is found all across the state. This happens in early fall because skunks search for cubby holes to spend the winter. If threatened, a skunk drums its forefeet on the ground, snarls, arches its back and raises its tail. Skunks are solitary and typically nonaggressive, and they have not historically been a serious threat to homeowners, agricultural producers and other wildlife. This oily musk, expelled through the anus, can cause temporary blindness and pain if sprayed in the eyes of a potential attacker. SmithsoniansNationalZoo& ConservationBiologyInstitute They prefer open areas with a variety of habitats and inhabit particularly mixed woodlands, brushy corners, and open fields interspersed with wooded ravines and rocky outcrops. Spotted skunks are generally less tolerant of humans than the striped skunk (Henderson 1976). Alabama Arkansas Colorado Florida Georgia Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska [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. Striped skunks have black fur with a wide, white stripe from the head all the way down the back on the body. 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Predators include birds of prey such as great horned owls and bald eagles `` Alaska sable '' employed... Forage and hunt in the eyes of a potential attacker sprayed on the ground by yellow are know. Day gestation period, 4-6 kits are born blind and unfurred, most..., badgers, and after a 63 day gestation period, 4-6 are... Possess highly developed musk-filled scent glands to ward off predators expelled through the anus, can a! Are inactive but they do not truly hibernate about the size of stripes,.
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