Skunks from North and South America

You may not have seen a skunk in your neighborhood, but you’ve probably smelled one. Their smelly spray, called musk, is not easy to ignore! 

Skunks live all over North and South America, in rural areas, suburbs, and the city. But if you see one, watch out! The spray, which comes from two glands near the base of the skunk’s tail, can hit a target 12 feet (3.7 meters) away.If you are lucky, you may get a warning before being sprayed. If threatened, skunks stamp their front feet, lift their tail, and growl.
Some species of skunk even spring into a handstand before spraying, which puts the skunk’s warning markings on full display.If you are lucky, you may get a warning before being sprayed. If threatened, skunks stamp their front feet, lift their tail, and growl. Some species of skunk even spring into a handstand before spraying, which puts the skunk’s warning markings on full display.Skunks are nocturnal, which means they search for food at night and sleep in dens lined with leaves during the day. Their favorite foods include fruit and plants, plus insects, bird eggs, small rodents, and birds.

Birds like the great horned owl prey on skunks. Scientists believe it’s because the birds don’t have a very good sense of smell, which makes the skunk’s spray useless in an attack. Female skunks have litters with four or five young, and raise them alone. Adult skunks live to be around three years old.  

FAST FACTS There are three main types of skunks: striped, hog-nosed, and spotted.The striped skunk, common in Canada, United States, and northern Mexico, sports two white stripes along its back that meet in a V. Most striped skunks grow from 13 to 18 inches (33 to 46 centimeters) long, not including the tail, and weigh from 4 to 18 pounds (2 to 8 kilograms).The hog-nosed skunk, found in South America, looks like the striped skunk but has a hairless, round snout and no face stripe. Most hog-nosed skunks grow from 14 to 19 inches (36 to 48 centimeters) long, and weigh from 4 to 10 pounds (1.8 to 4.5 kilograms). 

The spotted skunk has large white patches all over a black body, and is smaller than its striped and hog-nosed skunk cousins. The spotted skunk lives in North and Central America. The scientific name for the striped skunk is Mephitis mephitis. Striped and hog-nosed skunks can’t climb trees. Skunk cabbage, a soft-stemmed plant with large leaves found in swamps in eastern and central North America, got its name from its skunk-like odor.