The Truth About Striped Skunk: 8 Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know
The striped skunk is a common species of skunk found across North America. It is easily recognizable by its black fur with white stripes running down its back. The skunk is nocturnal and solitary spending most of its time alone except during the breeding season.
It is an omnivorous animal eating both plants and animals. The skunk uses its strong sense of smell to find food and it also has excellent hearing and vision. He is an excellent climber and swimmer. The skunk is not considered to be a threat to humans but its defensive spray can be very unpleasant.
Striped skunk scientific name
The scientific name for the striped skunk is Mephitis mephitis. The word "mephitis" is derived from the Latin word for "foul odor." The striped skunk is a member of the weasel family and is closely related to the European polecat. The skunk has two distinct color phases - black and white or brown and white. The brown and white phase is more common in western populations while the black and white phase is more common in eastern populations.
Striped skunk diet
The striped skunk is an omnivore which means that it feeds on both plants and animals. The skunk's diet consists of about 60% plant matter and 40% animal matter. The plant matter includes fruits berries nuts and leaves. The animal matter includes insects small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. The skunk will also eat carrion (dead animals).
The striped skunk gestation period
The gestation period of a striped skunk is about 63 days. This means that from the time the female skunk is impregnated by the male it will be about 63 days before she gives birth to her litter of baby skunks typically four to six in number. The mother skunk will take care of her young for several months until they are old enough to fend for themselves.
Striped skunk skull
The striped skunk skull (Mephitis mephitis) is a medium-sized mammal skull characterized by its black and white furlong snout and small eyes. This species is found throughout North America and its diet consists mainly of small mammals insects and carrion. The striped skunk is an important predator of crop pests and its fur is valued for its use in making hats clothing and other items.
Striped skunk lifespan
Skunks typically live for 2-3 years in the wild but have been known to live up to 10 years in captivity. Their primary predators are coyotes bobcats and great horned owls. Skunks are nocturnal animals and are mostly solitary except for mothers with their young. They are very good swimmers and climbers.
Striped skunk predators
Skunks are solitary animals so they don't have many predators. Their main predators are coyotes foxes owls and humans. The striped skunk has a very strong defense mechanism: it can spray a foul-smelling liquid up to 15 feet! This liquid is so smelly that it can make people and animals sick. When a skunk feels threatened it will first try to scare off the predator by stomping its feet and making loud noises. If that doesn't work it will turn around and spray the predator with its stinky liquid.
STRIPED SKUNK size
Skunks are well-known for their ability to spray a noxious liquid to ward off predators. They are also known for their distinctive black-and-white coloring. Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) are the most common and widespread skunks in North America.
They are found in every Canadian province and territory every U.S state except Alaska and northern Mexico. Striped skunks usually measure between 32 and 37 inches (81-94 cm) long from nose to tail-tip and weigh between 4 and 10 pounds (1.8-4.5 kg). As their name suggests they have a white stripe running down the center of their backs flanked by two narrower stripes.
STRIPED SKUNK physical description
The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is a member of the skunk family Mephitidae. It is a stocky and moderately sized mammal growing to a total length of 35 to 37 inches (89 to 94 cm) and weighing between 10 and 14 pounds (4.5 and 6.3 kg). The coat is black with white stripes running down the back and sides and the tail is long and bushy.
The striped skunk is found throughout North America from Canada to northern Mexico. It is common in rural areas but can also be found in urban areas. The striped skunk is a generally solitary creature except for the breeding season. It is nocturnal and feeds on a variety of small animals as well as fruits and vegetables.
