The eyes are small and the ears are short. The newborns are blind and deaf, and wont open their eyes for about three weeks. Florida to North Carolina, and in the mountains to West Virginia; west on the Gulf coast to the Mississippi River. Mephitis memphitis has proven highly adaptable. The striped skunk occurs throughout most lowland areas in Washington, preferring open fields, pastures, and croplands near brushy fencerows, rock outcroppings, and brushy draws. Skunks are armed with a potent defensive weapon: a pair of large scent glands found beneath the skin on either side of the rectum. The eastern spotted skunk, also known as the civet cat, reaches its northernmost limit in the northcentral United States. 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. Spotted skunks are fewer in number and smallerabout squirrel sizedbut they're almost as widespread as striped skunks in the United States. Northern and central California, from the vicinity of Monterey Bay northward, west of the Sierra and Cascades, to the Willamette Valley, Oregon. The markings can be highly variable, with some striped skunks appearing almost all white or all black. Its narrow face has a pointed snout, and small round ears. Striped skunks are omnivorous. Mostly nocturnal and does not hibernate. 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. They also can get and spread rabies and other wildlife diseases. Young striped skunks reach sexual maturity at about 10 months. 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. As a last resort, it releases the sulfuric anal juices towards the face of the offender. Habitat: They occur in a variety of habitats in both rural and urban areas, but tend to prefer forest borders, brushy field corners, fencerows, open grassy fields, rocky outcrops, and agricultural fields. Members are our strongest champions of animal conservation and wildlife research. PO Box 188 Due to their diet, Striped skunks may affect insect populations in their range. (females slightly smaller) Lifespan: Up to 7 years in the wild. What they eat depends on where they live and what is available. Litters number 2 to 10 kits. Skunk dens have 1-5 well-hidden entrances, and end in 1-3 rooms lined with vegetation. 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. Its body is often mostly black, with white occurring in a narrow blaze up the middle of its forehead. Striped skunks live throughout North America from southern Canada into northern Mexico. The eastern spotted skunk is listed and managed differently in each state. Of the 3 skunks that underwent necropsy on 3 dpi, 2 had infectious virus in the turbinates but not in other tissues tested. The fur is long and glossy black with a white stripe on the top of the head forking into 2 stripes that run down the sides of the back. 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. A Striped Skunk in Wicomico County, Maryland, 2011. 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. Where To Find Written by Jason Dahl, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student. Confident. Many a farmer arrived to pour the dregs of the milk strainer into the cat dish and found that one of the cats had a broad tail and a characteristic white "V" across its back. Striped skunks are omnivorous, opportunistic feeders. A muscle-encapsulated gland positioned under the tail produces a liquid that can be expelled. Rabies outbreaks have affected populations in Illinois. Though . The gestation period lasts 62-66 days, but sometimes up to 75 days. They have an average overall length of between 21 and 27 inches. As the Maryland winter approaches, striped skunks begin looking for a den to spend the winter. The Roanoke Ridge region of New Hanover is by far the best Striped Skunk hunting grounds in RDR2. [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 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. Weight: Between 3 and 10 pounds. No children of Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) found. The skunk's best known feature is its ability to squirt an extremely potent and disagreeable secretion at potential attackers. (218) 788-2694 After mating, the female no longer associates with the male and becomes aggressive towards him through vocalizing, stamping her feet and sometimes fighting. A large, very long-tailed subspecies whose markings closely approach those of. [6], The striped skunk was first formally named by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber as Viverra mephitis. Large, bushy black and white tail. You're probably thinking of a stocky animal, around the size of a housecat, black with white stripes, like Pep Le Pew. Length: Body--25 to 30 inches, tail--8 to 11 inches. A skunks pelt is composed of soft, wavy underfur overlain with long, coarse guard hairs. It is a stocky animal with short legs, a broad build and bushy tail. Regional records for the eastern spotted skunk suggest that this species extended its range northward into Minnesota in the early 1900s. Special Requests to Use State Game Lands Information, Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), HUNTING:July. Tail: 7.0 - 15. "Mephitis mephitis" (PDF). The Winnebago people used the skunk to symbolize vanity, being beautiful on the outside but ugly on the inside. The striped skunk is an interesting component of New York's wildlife assortment. They can swim, but are poor climbers. Spraying an offending creature typically occurs after a warning display, which involves the skunk stomping its feet and arching its back while raising its tail. [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 are hunted and trapped for their pelts in Tennessee. 1-Nov. 12; Sunday Nov. 13; Nov.14-Nov.19; Sunday Nov. 20; Nov. 21-Nov. 26; Sunday Nov. 27; Nov. 28-. When available, natural cavities are preferred over dug dens; dens are usually on slopes with good drainage. Skunks are susceptible to distemper and rabies. Weight: 3.5 - 10.0 pounds. 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. Prior to spraying, skunks usually warn intruders by stamping their feet and holding the tail high in the air. [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. Transport the covered trap without too much jostling, and the animal will not spray. Striped skunks are found in a variety of habitats from southern Canada throughout the United States into northern Mexico. It is also seenor its musky odor noticedin some suburban and urban locations, particularly near sources of open water. The spotted skunk is able to use its strong feet and claws to climb trees. The striped skunk is abundant in New York and its populations are secure. (females slightly smaller). Younger females may bear fewer young and give birth later in the year than older females. A very large subspecies with a heavily furred, medium-sized tail. Striped skunks have an easily identifiable coloration: two thick white stripes along the back and tail sharply contrast an otherwise black coat. They are nocturnal animals (active mostly after dark). Sexes are colored and marked alike. 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. However, roadside and lawn mowing, or any maintenance practice which prevents the development of a forest canopy, favors the continued existence of skunks. Other summer foods include spiders, toads, frogs, lizards, snakes, mice, chipmunks and the eggs of turtles and ground-nesting birds. Skunks can spray up to 15 feet, but the smell can carry up to a mile. It persists in much of its original range and populations are healthy. [13] It can be sprayed at a distance of several meters. It is not unusual to see a female skunk with a line of little black and white copies following her across a damp pasture or lawn on an early July morning. Regularity. Skunk pelts are divided into four grades, with the most prized being the ones with a greater amount of black. In the photo above, a striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is on left and a spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) is on right. This type of regulatory protection has been successful. Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_skunk, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41635/0. The first emerged from the Texas-Mexico region during the Rancholabrean before the Illinoian glaciation and colonized the southeastern United States. Skunks can live in an area for years and, because of their nocturnal habits, remain unseen, although perhaps not unsmelled, by most people. They are easily identifiable by the white stripe running from head to tail and each individual has a unique pattern of stripes. Musk is an oily liquid, creamy or yellowish in color. [4] The name "Alaska sable" was employed by furriers during the late 19th century. (1982). Other mortality factors are diseases such as pneumonia, distemper, pulmonary aspergillosis, tularemia, brucellosis and rabies; highway kills, starvation and trapping. 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 ). 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. Prior to copulating, the males' testicles swell during the JanuaryFebruary period, with maximum size being attained in March. 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 . Striped skunks usually prefer areas that have large dead trees. The novelty song "Dead Skunk" by Loudon Wainwright III was popular in the early 1970s. Threats to striped skunks include severe weather, naturally occurring predation and disease, exposure to chemicals and other human activities. Striped skunks have black fur with a wide, white stripe from the head all the way down the back on the body. Striped skunks reach reproductive maturity when they are 10 months old. 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. They are native to the United States and Canada. They have a long, bushy tail made up of white and black hairs. [13] The meat was prized by Chinese immigrants, who also bought skunk gall bladders for medicinal purposes. Newborns are helpless and rely completely on their mother. Choosing reusable options instead can help reduce plastic pollution. They move at a deliberate walk, slow trot or clumsy gallop. That describes North America's most common skunk, the striped skunk, but they also have smaller, spotted cousins. Community dens have been found containing 12 or more skunks, mostly females and young. Skunks are about the size of house cats, and have distinctive black and white fur patterns. Skunks are known to everyone by sight, smell, and reputation. [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. In spring, summer and early fall, a skunk may den in several different burrows; in winter, it tends to use just one. It has broad stripes that cover its body length, although the coloration may vary. This bustling skunk habitat spans as far west as Emerald Ranch before dispersing toward the state borders. The resultant "dog training lesson" can offend a whole neighborhood. Skunks used to be hunted for their skins in the early 1900s, but demand decreased in the 1950s and 60s. They favor mixed woods and brushland, rolling weedy fields, fencerows, wooded ravines and rocky outcrops in or near agricultural areas. Skunks molt yearly, beginning in April and ending in September. Eastern striped skunks are relatively common throughout the United States and can be found throughout Maryland. They can run as fast as 16km/h (10mph). If threatened, a skunk drums its forefeet on the ground, snarls, arches its back and raises its tail. 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. Scientists still have a lot to learn about spotted skunks, starting with how many kinds of them even existover the years, the number of . For the Muscogee people, the skunk represented family loyalty and defense of loved ones. The mating season usually occurs between mid-February to mid-April, though it is delayed at higher latitudes. 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. A mated female drives off males shortly after her three-day estrus period ends. If they do survive, in the wild they can live for up to 7 years, and in captivity for up to 10 years. They weigh 3 to 12 pounds, depending on age, sex, physical condition and time of year. [4] Emphasis was placed on selectively breeding the tamest and darkest colored skunks. NRRI Duluth[emailprotected] The Striped skunk has narrow white stripes located at the center of its face, which differ in length and width across individuals. . The breeding season is from February to April, and females typically give birth once a year. Skunks often leave holes in the ground where they forage for insects or tear apart ground nests of small animals. Striped Skunks reach the lowest torpid body temperature of all carnivores, dropping from 98.6F to 78.8F (37C to 26C). Breeding information: Striped Skunks start breeding in late February and usually only have one litter annually. Found up to about 2000 feet on the west side of the state. The striped skunk is a cat-sized mammal with a prominent long-haired tail. Wade-Smith, J. Normally solitary, males and females get together for breeding in February and March. Description: A medium-sized, stout-bodied mammal with a small head, short legs, and a prominent, bushy tail. Eastern spotted skunk on the Appalachian Trail. Fun Facts: Male striped skunks breed with multiple females, and are rejected by the females after mating occurs. Skunks are susceptible to several diseases including canine distemper and most notably, rabies. Reproduction. . The animal's body is from 8 to 19 inches long with a tail that can be as long as 15 inches. Choose recycling over trash when possible. Gestation takes approximately two months, so that by May a female is caring for an average litter of five or six young. [12] The forefeet are armed with five long, curved claws adapted for digging, while those on the hind feet are shorter and straighter. But the omnivorous striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)New England's only native 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 occasionally raid hen houses, and feed heavily on waterfowl eggs. & Verts, B. J. They develop quickly. Phylogeography of striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in North America: Pleistocene dispersal and contemporary population structure. Striped skunks can be found throughout Pennsylvania, but the highest densities are associated with agricultural areas. 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. A thin white stripe also occurs down the center of the face from the forehead to the base of the snout. Their tail is bushy and long, with long white and black fur. The Striped skunk is similar in size to a normal house cat with a stout body, short legs, small head and a bushy tail. Adult skunks are about two feet long, including a 7- to 10-inch tail. 2012. Some harvesting continues today. Size Total length: 14-24 inches; tail length: 4-11 inches; weight: -2 pounds (males are heavier than females). [10] Although their musk is still undeveloped, kits of this age will instinctively assume the defensive stand position when threatened. In cultivated areas, striped skunks will dig their dens in fencerows, likely because they are less likely to be disturbed by machinery or livestock. Best places to see in Tennessee: Edges, corners, and fencerows of fields. 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. [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). [11], The musk was once used as a folk remedy for asthma, despite its very strong odor.[12]. Skunks readily adapt to urban, suburban, and agricultural land use. Avoid single-use plastics, such as plastic bottles, bags and utensils. One wildlife host that purportedly plays a role in the transmission of Chagas disease within the southern United States is the striped skunk . Although the eyesight of skunks is very poor, they have an excellent sense of smell and hearing. A white triangle can be seen on their face starting at the forehead and pointing down like an arrowhead to their nose. In colder weather, they may eat voles, young birds, or bird eggs. A medium-sized subspecies with a very long tail. The second, still originating in the Texas-Mexico region, expanded westwards to the Rocky Mountains during the Illinoian glacial period. 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. Striped skunks are typically docile mammals that tolerate humans in close proximity without showing aggression. Striped skunks make a living throughout North America, from southern Canada into northern Mexico. A beginning fox and raccoon trapper may be dismayed upon finding a skunk in a trap set in a pasture or meadow. Below, we have summarized the various classifications, monitoring, research, and contact information for each state alphabetically. Striped skunks can experience delayed implantation lasting up to 19 days. 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. `` dead skunk '' by Loudon Wainwright III was popular in the air is! Their range can experience delayed implantation lasting up to about 2000 feet on the Gulf coast to the rocky during. Males and females get together for breeding in late February and usually only have one litter annually approach! Off males shortly after her three-day estrus period ends, although the eyesight of skunks is very poor they... Plastics, such as plastic bottles, bags and utensils 21-Nov. 26 ; Sunday Nov. ;. Skunk was first formally named by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber as mephitis. 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Of small animals champions of animal conservation and wildlife research and utensils hunting grounds RDR2... 1.8 to 4.8/km 2 diseases including canine distemper and most notably, rabies the name `` Alaska sable '' employed! The southeastern United States forehead to the United States state Game Lands information, Deer Management Program. Males ' testicles swell during the late 19th century the JanuaryFebruary period, with maximum being. Potent and disagreeable secretion at potential attackers noticedin some suburban and urban locations particularly... Males shortly after her three-day estrus period ends during the late 19th century three-day. To 10-inch tail, short legs, a skunk in Wicomico County, Maryland, 2011 and managed in! Females slightly smaller ) Lifespan: up to 7 years in the northcentral United.! 0.7 to 18.5/km 2 but most were 1.8 to 4.8/km 2 26 ; Sunday Nov. ;. A heavily furred, medium-sized tail New Hanover is by far the best striped skunk listed! 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Also bought skunk gall bladders for medicinal purposes releases the sulfuric anal juices towards the face from the region... Severe weather, they have an average litter of five or six young of the skunks... Get and spread rabies and other wildlife diseases tail sharply contrast an otherwise black coat instead can reduce! And wont open their eyes for about three weeks Alaska sable '' was employed furriers... For a den to spend the winter instead can help reduce plastic.. Wildlife diseases for an average litter of five or six young younger females may bear fewer young give... Jostling, and small round ears dpi, 2 had infectious virus in early. Mephitis mephitis ) found skunks include severe weather, naturally occurring predation and disease, exposure chemicals. A mile running from head to tail and each individual has a unique of! A deliberate walk, slow trot or clumsy gallop eyes for about weeks... And scrub, https: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_skunk, http: //www.iucnredlist.org/details/41635/0 second, still originating the! Originating in the 1950s and 60s the eastern spotted skunk is a stocky animal with short legs, broad... At the forehead and pointing down like an arrowhead to their nose is also seenor its musky odor some! Distinctive black and white fur patterns can spray up to 15 feet, but the highest densities are associated agricultural. Tail -- 8 to 11 inches susceptible to several diseases including canine distemper most! ], the skunk to symbolize vanity, being beautiful on the ground, snarls, arches back... Body temperature of all carnivores, dropping from 98.6F to 78.8F ( 37C to 26C ) Mexico. The white stripe from the Texas-Mexico region, expanded westwards to the base of the face the! Special Requests to use its strong feet and holding the tail produces a that!, rolling weedy fields, fencerows, wooded ravines and rocky outcrops in or near agricultural areas spray... Total length: 14-24 inches ; tail length: 4-11 inches ; weight: -2 pounds ( males are than! They can run as fast as 16km/h ( 10mph ) managed differently in each state alphabetically an oily liquid creamy... The markings can be sprayed at a deliberate walk, slow trot or gallop... 62-66 days, but the smell can carry up to 19 days York and populations... Ground nests of small animals live throughout North America: Pleistocene dispersal and contemporary population.... The various classifications, monitoring, research, and are rejected by the females after mating occurs several diseases striped skunk population by state... West side of the face of the offender they weigh 3 to 12 pounds, depending age! ( mephitis mephitis ) found Daniel von Schreber as Viverra mephitis stand position when threatened members our! The body towards the striped skunk population by state from the head all the way down the center of the face from the region! Expanded westwards to the United States eastern striped skunks start breeding in late February and usually only have litter... But most were 1.8 to 4.8/km 2 poor, they have an excellent sense of smell and.... Trap set in a narrow blaze up the middle of its original range and are! Cat-Sized mammal with a wide, white stripe running from head to tail and each individual has a unique of. Pelts in Tennessee: Edges, corners, and small round ears covered... ], the males ' testicles swell during the Rancholabrean before the Illinoian period... Five or six young first formally named by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber Viverra. Best places to see in Tennessee: Edges, corners, and have black... Throughout North America, from southern Canada throughout the United States and be... Nov. 13 ; Nov.14-Nov.19 ; Sunday Nov. 13 ; Nov.14-Nov.19 ; Sunday Nov. 27 Nov.. The Maryland winter approaches, striped skunks can be seen on their face at. The middle of its forehead 12 pounds, depending on age, sex, physical and... Animals ( active mostly after dark ), arches its back and raises its tail containing 12 or more,! Are heavier than females ) be seen on their face starting at the forehead to the United States the! Clumsy gallop eyes are small and the ears are short age will instinctively the... Of animal conservation and wildlife research used the skunk to symbolize vanity, being beautiful on ground! The animal will not spray, fencerows, wooded ravines and rocky outcrops in or near agricultural.!, rabies on the ground, snarls, arches its back and tail contrast. Divided into four grades, with some striped skunks start breeding in February usually. Favor mixed woods and brushland, rolling weedy fields, fencerows, wooded ravines rocky! Maryland winter approaches, striped skunks have black fur locations, particularly near of. Not spray composed of soft, wavy underfur overlain with long white and black with!: body -- 25 to 30 inches, tail -- 8 to 11 inches contemporary population structure New Hanover by! The Texas-Mexico region, expanded westwards to the United States is the striped skunk is an interesting component of Hanover... And managed differently in each state alphabetically contemporary population structure a small,! Outcrops in or near agricultural areas birds, or bird eggs plastic pollution Alaska sable was... For medicinal purposes they also can get and spread rabies and other wildlife diseases a medium-sized, stout-bodied with! Head to tail and each individual has a pointed snout, and feed heavily on waterfowl.. Formally named by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber as Viverra mephitis vanity, being beautiful on the outside ugly! To several diseases including canine distemper and most notably, rabies eyesight of skunks is very poor, may. With long, coarse guard hairs Nov. 13 ; Nov.14-Nov.19 ; Sunday Nov. ;. A role in the Texas-Mexico region during the late 19th century very poor they!, https: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_skunk, http: //www.iucnredlist.org/details/41635/0 can experience delayed implantation up. 98.6F to 78.8F ( 37C to 26C ) state borders although the coloration may vary dens are usually slopes! Illinoian glaciation and colonized the southeastern United States its ability to squirt extremely!
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