Skunks are
mammals in the family
Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their
anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginger colored, but all have
warning coloration.
While related to
polecats and other members of the
weasel family
The Mustelidae (; from Latin ''mustela'', weasel) are a family of carnivorous mammals, including weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks and wolverines, among others. Mustelids () are a diverse group and form the largest family in the ...
, skunks have as their closest relatives the Old World
stink badger
Stink badgers, also known as false badgers are a genus (''Mydaus'') of the skunk family of carnivorans, the Mephitidae. They resemble the better-known members of the family Mustelidae also termed 'badgers' (which are themselves a polyphyletic g ...
s.
Taxonomy
In alphabetical order, the living species of skunks are:
* Family Mephitidae
** Genus: ''
Conepatus''
*** ''Conepatus chinga'' –
Molina's hog-nosed skunk
*** ''Conepatus humboldtii'' –
Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk
*** ''Conepatus leuconotus'' –
American hog-nosed skunk
*** ''Conepatus semistriatus'' –
striped hog-nosed skunk
** Genus: ''
Mephitis''
*** ''Mephitis macroura'' –
hooded skunk
*** ''Mephitis mephitis'' –
striped skunk
The striped skunk (''Mephitis mephitis'') is a skunk of the genus '' Mephitis'' that occurs across much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN on ac ...
** Genus: ''
Spilogale''
*** ''Spilogale angustifrons'' –
southern spotted skunk
*** ''Spilogale gracilis'' –
western spotted skunk
*** ''Spilogale putorius'' –
eastern spotted skunk
*** ''Spilogale pygmaea'' –
pygmy spotted skunk
Terminology
The word ''skunk'' is dated from the 1630s, adapted from a southern New England
Algonquian language (probably
Abenaki) , from
Proto-Algonquian
Proto-Algonquian (commonly abbreviated PA) is the proto-language from which the various Algonquian languages are descended. It is generally estimated to have been spoken around 2,500 to 3,000 years ago, but there is less agreement on where it was ...
, from 'to urinate' + 'fox'. ''Skunk'' has historic use as an insult, attested from 1841.
In 1634, a skunk was described in ''
The Jesuit Relations
''The Jesuit Relations'', also known as ''Relations des Jésuites de la Nouvelle-France'', are chronicles of the Jesuit missions in New France. The works were written annually and printed beginning in 1632 and ending in 1673.
Originally written ...
'':
In Southern United States dialect, the term ''polecat'' is sometimes used as a
colloquial nickname for a skunk, even though
polecats are only distantly related to skunks.
As a verb, ''
skunk
Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginge ...
'' is used to describe the act of overwhelmingly defeating an opponent in a game or competition. ''Skunk'' is also used to refer to certain strong-smelling
strains of ''Cannabis'' whose smell has been compared to that of a skunk's spray.
Description
Skunk species vary in size from about long and in weight from about (spotted skunks) to (
hog-nosed skunk
The hog-nosed skunks belong to the genus ''Conepatus'' and are members of the family Mephitidae (skunks). They are native to the Americas. They have white backs and tails and black underparts.
Species
Extinct species
†''Conepatus robustus'' ...
s). They have moderately elongated bodies with relatively short, well-muscled legs and long front
claws for digging. They have five toes on each foot.
Although the most common fur color is black and white, some skunks are brown or grey and a few are cream-colored. All skunks are striped, even from birth. They may have a single thick stripe across the back and tail, two thinner stripes, or a series of white spots and broken stripes (in the case of the spotted skunk).
Behavior
Skunks are
crepuscular
In zoology, a crepuscular animal is one that is active primarily during the twilight period, being matutinal, vespertine, or both. This is distinguished from diurnal and nocturnal behavior, where an animal is active during the hours of daylig ...
and solitary animals when not breeding, though in the colder parts of their
range
Range may refer to:
Geography
* Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra)
** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands
* Range, a term used to i ...
, they may gather in communal dens for warmth. During the day they shelter in burrows, which they can dig with their powerful front claws. For most of the year the normal home range for skunks is in diameter, with males expanding during breeding season to travel per night.
Skunks are not true hibernators in the winter, but do den up for extended periods of time. However, they remain generally inactive and feed rarely, going through a dormant stage. Over winter, multiple females (as many as 12) huddle together; males often den alone. Often, the same winter den is repeatedly used.
Although they have excellent senses of smell and hearing, they have poor vision, being unable to see objects more than about away, making them vulnerable to
death by road traffic. They are short-lived; their lifespan in the wild can reach seven years, with an average of six years.
[ADW: Mephitis mephitis: INFORMATION](_blank)
Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu. Retrieved on 5 April 2012.
The Pennsylvania State University (2002). In captivity, they may live for up to 10 years.
Reproduction
Skunks mate in early spring and are
polygynous
Polygyny (; from Neoclassical Greek πολυγυνία (); ) is the most common and accepted form of polygamy around the world, entailing the marriage of a man with several women.
Incidence
Polygyny is more widespread in Africa than in any ...
(that is, successful males are uninhibited from mating with additional females.)
Before giving birth (usually in May), the female excavates a den to house her litter of four to seven kits.
Skunks are
placental, with a gestation period of about 66 days.
When born, skunk kits are blind and deaf, but already covered by a soft layer of fur. About three weeks after birth, they first open their eyes; the kits are weaned about two months after birth. They generally stay with their mother until they are ready to mate, roughly at one year of age.
The mother is protective of her kits, spraying at any sign of danger. The male plays no part in raising the young.
Diet
Skunks are
omnivorous, eating both plant and animal material and changing their diets as the seasons change. They eat insects,
larvae,
earthworms,
grub
Grub can refer to Grub (larva), of the beetle superfamily Scarabaeoidea, or as a slang term for food. It can also refer to:
Places
* Grub, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland
* Grub, St. Gallen, Switzerland
* Grub (Amerang), a hamlet in Bavaria, ...
s,
rodents, lizards,
salamanders, frogs, snakes, birds,
moles, and
eggs. They also commonly eat
berries,
roots,
leaves
A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
, grasses, fungi and
nuts
Nut often refers to:
* Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, or a collective noun for dry and edible fruits or seeds
* Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt
Nut or Nuts may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Com ...
.
In settled areas, skunks also seek garbage left by humans. Less often, skunks may be found acting as
scavenger
Scavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a herbivorous feeding b ...
s, 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 commonly dig holes in lawns in search of grubs and worms.
Skunks use their long claws to break apart rotting logs to find insects that live within them. They also use those claws to help dig for insects, which leaves behind pits, which are easy signs of foraging. The claws also help with pinning down live and active prey.
Skunks are one of the primary predators of the
honeybee, relying on their thick fur to protect them 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.
Spray
Skunks are notorious for their anal scent glands, which they can use as a
defensive weapon. They are similar to, though much more developed than, the glands found in species of the family
Mustelidae. Skunks have two glands, one on each side of the anus. These glands produce the skunk's spray, which is a mixture of
sulfur
Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...
-containing chemicals such as
thiols (traditionally called mercaptans), which have an offensive odor. The thiols also make their spray highly flammable. A skunk's spray is powerful enough to ward off bears and other potential attackers.
Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with a high degree of accuracy, as far as . The spray can also cause irritation and even temporary blindness, and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by a human nose up to 5.6 km (3.5 miles) downwind. Their chemical defense is effective, as illustrated by this extract from
Charles Darwin's 1839 book ''
The Voyage of the Beagle'':
Skunks carry just enough for five or six successive sprays – about 15 cm
3 – and require up to ten days to produce another supply. Their bold black and white
coloration makes their appearance memorable. It is to a skunk's advantage to warn possible
predators off without expending scent: black and white
aposematic warning coloration aside, threatened skunks will go through an elaborate routine of hisses, foot-stamping, and tail-high
deimatic
Deimatic behaviour or startle display means any pattern of bluffing behaviour in an animal that lacks strong defences, such as suddenly displaying conspicuous eyespots, to scare off or momentarily distract a predator, thus giving the prey anim ...
or threat postures before resorting to spraying. Skunks usually do not spray other skunks, except among males in the mating season. If they fight over den space in autumn, they do so with teeth and claws.
Most
predators of the Americas, such as
wolves,
foxes, and
badgers, seldom attack skunks, presumably out of fear of being sprayed. The exceptions are reckless predators whose attacks fail once they are sprayed, dogs, and the
great horned owl, which is the skunk's only regular predator.
In one case, the remains of 57
striped skunk
The striped skunk (''Mephitis mephitis'') is a skunk of the genus '' Mephitis'' that occurs across much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN on ac ...
s were found in a single great horned owl nest.
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 misconceptions about the removal of skunk odor, including the pervasive idea that
tomato juice will neutralize the odor. These household remedies are ineffective, and only appear to work due to
olfactory fatigue
Olfactory fatigue, also known as odor fatigue, olfactory adaptation, and noseblindness, is the temporary, normal inability to distinguish a particular odor after a prolonged exposure to that airborne compound. For example, when entering a restaura ...
.
The Humane Society of the United States recommends treating dogs using a mixture of dilute
hydrogen peroxide (3%), baking soda, and dishwashing liquid.
Skunk spray is composed mainly of three low-molecular-weight
thiol compounds, (''E'')-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, and 2-quinolinemethanethiol, as well as
acetate
An acetate is a salt (chemistry), salt formed by the combination of acetic acid with a base (e.g. Alkali metal, alkaline, Alkaline earth metal, earthy, Transition metal, metallic, nonmetallic or radical Radical (chemistry), base). "Acetate" als ...
thioester
In organic chemistry, thioesters are organosulfur compounds with the functional group . They are analogous to carboxylate esters () with the sulfur in the thioester playing the role of the linking oxygen in the carboxylate ester, as implied by t ...
s of these. These compounds are detectable by the human nose at concentrations of only 11.3 parts per billion.
Relations with humans
Bites
It is rare for a healthy skunk to bite a human, though a tame skunk whose scent glands have been removed (usually on behalf of those who will keep it as a pet) may defend itself by biting. There are, however, few recorded incidents of skunks biting humans. Skunk bites in humans can result in infection with the
rabies virus. The
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recorded 1,494 cases of rabies in skunks in the United States for the year 2006—about 21.5% of reported cases in all species.
Skunks in fact are less prominent than
raccoons as
vectors of rabies. (However, this varies regionally in the United States, with
raccoons dominating along the
Atlantic coast and the eastern
Gulf of Mexico, while skunks instead predominate throughout the
Midwest
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...
, including the western Gulf, and in California.)
As pets
''Mephitis mephitis'', the striped skunk, is the most social skunk and the one most commonly
kept as a pet. In the US, skunks can legally be kept as pets in 17 states.
When a skunk is kept as a pet, its scent glands are often surgically removed.
In the UK, skunks can be kept as pets, but the
Animal Welfare Act 2006 made it illegal to remove their scent glands.
See also
*
List of fictional musteloids
The following list of fictional musteloids is subsidiary to the list of fictional animals. This includes weasels, ferrets, minks, otters, martens, skunks, raccoons, and red pandas.
Fictional badgers are instead found within the list of fictio ...
*
Skunk oil
Skunk oil is an oil that is obtained from the two lateral glands that run the length of a skunk's back. Skunks store fat in these glands for use during hibernation or semi-hibernation in warmer climates. Skunk oil has minimal odor.
Uses
Skunk o ...
References
External links
*
Skunks and the management of skunk damage
{{Authority control
Mephitidae
Mammals of Central America
Mammals of North America
Mammals of South America
Aposematic animals
Mammal common names