The skunk is a mammal known for its ability to spray a liquid that has a strong nasty odor. There are several species of skunk and they vary in appearance from black and white to brown or cream colored.
Skunks vary is size from about 15.6 to 37 in (40 to 94 cm) long and weigh from 1.1 lb (0.50 kg) to 18 lbs (8.2 kg). They have moderately elongated bodies with relatively short, well-muscled legs and long front claws they use to dig.
Commonly, skunks come in black and white, but there are also some that are brown or grey and a few come in cream. They all have a stripe across their back and tail, two thinner stripes, or a series of white spots and broken stripes. Some are even striped on their legs.
The skunk is omnivorous, eating both plant and animal material and changing its diet as the seasons change. It eats insects and larvae, earthworms, grubs, small rodents, lizards, salamanders, frogs, snakes, birds, moles and eggs. It also eats berries, roots, leaves, grasses, fungi and nuts. In settled areas, it eats garbage left by humans. Less often, skunks may be found acting as scavengers, eating bird and rodent carcasses left by cats or other animals. Pet owners, particularly those of cats, may experience a skunk finding its way into a garage or basement where pet food is kept. Skunks will dig holes in lawns in search of grubs and worms. The skunk is the primary predators of the honeybee, relying on its thick fur to protect itself from stings. The skunk scratches at the front of the beehive and eats the guard bees that come out to investigate. Mother skunks are known to teach this behavior to their young.
Skunks come out when the sun goes down and are solitary animals when they are not breeding. However, in the most northern parts of their range, they may gather together in dens to keep warm. During the day, they shelter in borrows which they can dig with their powerful front claws. Males and females occupy overlapping home ranges through the greater part of the year, typically 2 to 4 km2 (0.77 to 1.54 sq. mi) for females and up to 20 km2 (7.7 sq. mi) for males.
Skunks are not really hibernators in the winter, but do den up for extended periods of time. During that time, they remain mostly inactive and feed rarely, going through a dormant stage. During the winter, in Canada and the USA, multiple females huddle together while males often den alone. The dens are repeatedly used.
Although they have excellent senses of smell and hearing, they have poor vision, being unable to see objects more than 3 m (10 ft) away, making them vulnerable to death by road traffic. Their lifespan in the wild reaches seven years, with most living only up to a year. In captivity, they may live up to 10 years.
Skunks mate in early spring. Males will mate with more than one female. Before giving birth, usually in May, the female will excavate a den to house her litter of 4 to 7 kits. The gestation period is about 66 days. When born, the kits are blind, deaf and covered in a soft layer of fur. Three weeks later, their eyes will open. They are weaned about 2 months after birth, but will stay with their mother until they are ready to mate, at about one year of age. Mom is protective of her kits, spraying at any sign of danger. The male plays no part in raising the young.
Skunks are notorious for their anal scent glands, which they can use as a defensive weapon. Skunks have two glands, one on each side of the anus. These glands produce a mixture of sulfur-containing chemicals which have a highly offensive smell. The odor of the fluid is strong enough to ward off bears and other potential attackers and can be difficult to remove from clothing. Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with a high degree of accuracy, as far as 3 m (10 ft). The smell aside, the spray can cause irritation and even temporary blindness, and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by a human nose up to a mile (1 1/2 km) down wind.
Skunks are reluctant to use this weapon, as they carry just enough of the chemical for 5 or 6 uses, about 15 cc, and require some ten days to produce another supply. Their bold black and white coloration make their appearance memorable. It is to a skunk’s advantage to warn possible predators off without expending their “precious” scent. So they go through an elaborate routine of hisses, foot-stamping, and tail-high postures before resorting to spraying. They usually don’t spray each other, except among males in the mating season. If they have to fight over den-space, they do so with teeth and claws.
Most predators of the Americas, such as wolves, foxes and badgers, seldom attack skunks, out of fear of being sprayed. The exceptions are dogs, reckless predators whose attacks fail once they are sprayed, and the great horned owl, which is the skunk’s only regular predator.
Skunks are common in suburban areas. Frequent encounters with dogs and other domestic animals, and the release of the odor when a skunk is run over, have led to many myths about the removal of sunk odor. Due to the chemical composition of the spray, most of the household remedies are ineffective. One of the most commonly held beliefs is that a pet that has been sprayed should be bathed in tomato juice and is only marginally effective. This would require an inordinate amount of tomato juice. The Humane Society of the United States recommends using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and dishwashing liquid.
Healthy skunks rarely bite humans. Although a domesticated skunk with its scent glands removed may bite to defend itself, it very seldom happens. The most prevalent cause of skunks biting humans is the rabies virus.
My dog Chamonix has been sprayed several times by skunks over his 6 years of life, twice in California, and twice in Costa Rica (so far). He never seems to learn his lesson and this causes a tremendous amount of work for me, trying to remove the odor from his coat, which seems to transfer to all my other dogs. I have a total of 5 dogs, so try to imagine attempts to remove skunk spray odor from 5 dogs. It’s hell!!!
Maxine de Villefranche 