Mammal Web Page


Striped Skunk
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Carnivora
Family	Mustelidae
Genus	Mephitis
Species	mephitis

Description

The size of the striped skunk is similar to a house cat. It has a small, black head with a white stripe between the eyes and two broad wide stripes which meet at the shoulders if its black back. The tail is also black with a white top or fringe.

Picture found at http://www.fishbc.com/adventure/wilderness/animals/skunk.htm

Habitat

The striped skunk likes the desert, woodlands, grassy plains, and suburbs. It will live throughout the interior and southern tier of Canadian provinces and all of America.

Map found at www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/ mammals/SkunkMap.gif

Range

It will live in Canada, and America's rural and urban areas. The striped skunk isn't found Alaska. Above is a map of where the Striped skunk may live. The Striped skunk is usually found in the North East.

Food

The striped skunk likes to eat field mice, other small rodents, also lizards, frogs, birds, eggs, garbage, acorns, and fallen fruit. The striped skunk will usually be eaten by their major predator, the Great Horned Owl.

Life Cycle

The young are usually born in May, and about 4-6 in a litter. When the skunk is about 7 weeks old, the female takes them out to forage for food. The striped skunk is weaned at 2 months. The great Horned Owl is a major predator and doesn't mind the smell of skunks. The striped skunk lives to about 50 years.

Survival

The striped skunk needs a reliable water source. They like warm, dry, dark, and defensible areas. A natural predator is the Great Horned Owl.

Picture found at
http://projectwildlife.org/living-skunks.htm

Facts

Skunks ONLY spray as their last resort of defense.
Skunks aren't camouflaged by their fur since most animals don't mess with skunks.
The striped skunk can spray accurately as far as 12 feet or 4 meters.
The Striped skunk's scientific name comes from a Latin word meaning "poisonous vapor"
Striped skunks don't spray each other even in the fiercest fight.

Picture found at

http://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/skunk.htm

Human Impact

If you don't scare them, it won't have a negative impact on you. Skunks usually aren't impacted by humans because they can live in neighborhoods or places close to humans. Skunks can make their homes in your backyard, but it probably won't. The positive impact we can have on skunks is leaving them alone.