Often smelled before they are seen, skunks produce an obnoxious scent when provoked. Skunks are intelligent and usually good-natured. Found up to about 2000 feet on the west side of the state. Go to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. . Although a market still exists, it is not as vigorous as it once was. A strong market for fur-trimmed cloth coats developed in the late 1930s as our country recovered from the Great Depression. One of the most notable characteristics of this animal is its defense system; striped skunks have the ability to spray a foul smelling fluid from two glands located near the base of the tail. They also can get and spread rabies and other wildlife diseases. The the striped skunk in Tennessee is the most commone and it occurs state-wide. Wade-Smith, J. Northern and central California, from the vicinity of Monterey Bay northward, west of the Sierra and Cascades, to the Willamette Valley, Oregon. (Verts, 1967). As the Maryland winter approaches, striped skunks begin looking for a den to spend the winter. Using fertilizers sparingly, keeping storm drains free of litter and picking up after your pet can also improve watershed health. Entirely white skunks, or skunks with the black replaced by seal brown or the white replaced by yellow are also know to occur. Skunks are the primary hosts in the north- and south-central United States as well as in Canada. They are found in every county of Ohio as well as throughout the United States. 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. Shores of Puget Sound and coastal region of Washington and northern Oregon. Skunks have poor eyesight and mostly hunt by nose and hearing, so it can be easy to startle one. Tomato juice neutralizes the odor and will help remove the smell from clothes, hair, and dog fur. Young striped skunks reach sexual maturity at about 10 months. Skunks are known to everyone by sight, smell, and reputation. The species has triangular shaped heads that taper to the nose, small round ears and black eyes. Avoid single-use plastics, such as plastic bottles, bags and utensils. Names . (The seventh spotted skunk species, Spilogale yucatanensis, is a bit of a weirdo, being native to Mexico's Yucatn Peninsula but sharing the closest evolutionary relationship with S. putorius,. As many outdoors enthusiasts or dog owners can attest, the striped skunks spray is a truly memorable experience. The striped skunk is a mostly nocturnal omnivore. The Latin name for skunk, Mephitis mephitis, means "double foul odor.". [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. Some populations, particularly in northwestern Illinois, prefer cultivated areas over uncultivated ones. [2], While primarily an insectivore, the striped skunk is adaptable enough to incorporate other animals and even vegetable matter into its diet. Striped skunks can be found throughout Pennsylvania, but the highest densities are associated with agricultural areas. The skunk's best known feature is its ability to squirt an extremely potent and disagreeable secretion at potential attackers. Their senses of sight, smell and hearing have been judged poor to fair compared with those of other wild mammals. Florida to North Carolina, and in the mountains to West Virginia; west on the Gulf coast to the Mississippi River. Since 1996, spotted skunks have been classified as threatened in Minnesota, and any sightings should be reported to Minnesota DNR. Spotted skunks are fewer in number and smallerabout squirrel sizedbut they're almost as widespread as striped skunks in the United States. . 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. Southern Washington and northern Oregon, east of the Cascade Mountains. 3 of 8 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. Striped skunks are largely nocturnal, medium-sized omnivores in the weasel family (Mustelidae). [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. Skunks have been the most commonly confirmed rabies species, other than raccoons, during the spread of raccoon rabies throughout Southern New York. 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). According to IUCN, the Striped skunk is common and widely distributed throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Because skunks are difficult to kill without having them discharge their musk (and thus ruin their fur) they were typically dispatched with a paralyzing blow to the lower back or drowned if caught in a box trap. Striped skunks at the Smithsonian's National Zoo consume a diet consisting primarily of leafy greens, vegetables and insects. Field guides refer to the musk as highly repellent to all mammals. In short, it stinks. The eastern spotted skunk, also known as the civet cat, reaches its northernmost limit in the northcentral United States. Special Requests to Use State Game Lands Information, Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), HUNTING:July. [2] Like all skunks, they possess highly developed musk-filled scent glands to ward off predators. They are easily identifiable by the white stripe running from head to tail and each individual has a unique pattern of stripes. Weight: six to 14 pounds. Coleraine, MN 55722, Ermine (Short-tailed Weasel; Mustela erminea). Female striped skunks typically give birth once each year, with breeding occurring between February and April. They can weigh from around 2 lbs to over 10 lbs. Striped skunks are natives of North America and occur from northern Mexico to southern Canada. Without doubt, the most widely recognized characteristic of the Striped skunk is the pungent odor of the musk that it produces. Kits are born blind and sparsely furred, weighing 2540grams. The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is the most common skunk in Texas and North America. Present. In some states, like Florida, skunks may be killed only during a season, but harvests year-round are allowed in most states. Printable Striped Skunk Wildlife Note (PDF). 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. The most common skunks in North America, striped skunks are terrestrial animals that can survive in a variety of habitats and land types. 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 breeding season is from February to April, and females typically give birth once a year. Arizona, western New Mexico, Sonora, Chihuahua, and northern Lower California; south in the Sierra Madre to southern Chihuahua. Photo by Mike Ostrowski, Maryland Biodiversity Project. Striped skunks make a living throughout North America, from southern Canada into northern Mexico. If sprayed on the eyes, this compound can cause a temporary burning sensation. Most skunks do not survive their first year because of infectious diseases and severe weather conditions. Its scientific name, mephitis, in Latin means bad odor. Young are born blind, with eyes opening between 2-4 weeks of age. In colder weather, they may eat voles, young birds, or bird eggs. Black body, narrow white stripe on middle of the forehead, broad white area on nape that usually divides into a V at the shoulders. The long and sharp claws of a skunks forefeet are well-adapted to digging. Spotted skunks were common around farms, and state harvest peaked at 19,400 in 1946, before populations plummeted. The period of gestation for the female Striped Skunks lies between 59-77 days. Duluth, MN 55811, NRRI Coleraine[emailprotected] [11] The skunk will also consume vegetable matter, such as apples, blueberries, black cherries, ground cherries, corn and nightshade when in season. Habitat: Occurs around rocky, dense habitat, including fencerows, shrubby field borders, and farmland. New England and Middle Atlantic States; south to Virginia; west to Indiana. "Mephitis mephitis" (PDF). It is also seenor its musky odor noticedin some suburban and urban locations, particularly near sources of open water. Skunk musk is generally harmless. A surfeit is the word for a group of skunks. Make a donation to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute today! Striped skunks mate in February and early March. 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 ). (females slightly smaller) Lifespan: Up to 7 years in the wild. Come spring, striped skunk males will mate with several females during late February through early March. Striped skunks are the biggest of the skunk species. Throughout the winter, they have been observed eating small mammals and ground-nesting hatchlings and eggs, and hunting amphibians, reptiles and fish. More mature skunks will fall prey to foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and badgers. What they eat depends on where they live and what is available. After mating, the female no longer associates with the male and becomes aggressive towards him through vocalizing, stamping her feet and sometimes fighting. And, like these two other mammals, skunks walk in a plantigrade manneron the soles of their feet with heels touching the ground. Skunks are susceptible to distemper and rabies. This skunk is considerably smaller than striped skunks on the mainland and has softer, glossier fur. [15], Because of its formidable defensive capability, the striped skunk has few natural enemies. [10], The striped skunk is polygamous, and normally breeds once a year, though yearling females who have failed to mate may enter a second estrous cycle a month after the first. Trapping may help minimize the impacts of disease on a skunk population. As members of the weasel family Mustelidae, they share the characteristics of a musky odor and well-developed scent glands. [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. 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. Striped skunks are classified as unprotected species in Minnesota. This oily musk, which is expelled through the anus, may cause temporary blindness or pain if sprayed in the potential attackers eyes. Striped Skunk. Black coat with white stripe that begins on forehead and then divides in two. At birth, striped skunks weigh less than an ounce. 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 novelty song "Dead Skunk" by Loudon Wainwright III was popular in the early 1970s. 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. 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. Three other skunk species live in the United States: hooded and hognose skunks, which inhabit the Southwest, and the spotted skunk, which is found throughout much of the country. They have a long history of association with humans, having been trapped and captively bred for their fur and kept as pets. Eastern Canada; Nova Scotia, Quebec, and northern Ontario. [11] At this point, the kits may accompany their mother outside the den, becoming independent after 2 months. The Spotted Skunk population also appears to have reached a plateau. The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is an omnivorous mammal of the skunk family Mephitidae. Likewise for a homeowner or nuisance wildlife control agent who finds a skunk in the box trap set in the backyard. You may have heard that pelts of the striped skunk once were more valuable than they are in the current fur market. Skunks are solitary and typically nonaggressive, and they have not historically been a serious threat to homeowners, agricultural producers and other wildlife. The bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well as semi-desert, urban edge, forest edges and swampland environments. Often, a skunk will use an abandoned woodchuck burrow, although if none are available it will dig its own. Striped skunks are common throughout their range. Some female yearlings will stay with their mothers into the coming winter. Below, we have summarized the various classifications, monitoring, research, and contact information for each state alphabetically. 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). Striped skunks are found in a variety of habitats from southern Canada throughout the United States into northern Mexico. Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. Its active ingredient is a sulphide called mercaptan. (218) 788-2694 Biologists on the Savannah River Site have documented spotted skunks associated with old fields, open forests, and hedgerow . 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