Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about skunks. Most people know about skunks, but did you know there are three main groups of them? There are spotted skunks, hog nosed skunks, and striped or hooded skunks. These little cuties are most closely related to stink badgers, animals who are classified in the same family as skunks - but we’ll be saving them for their own episode because they live separately from skunks.

Skunks are a new world group of animals ranging from southern Canada to South America. They inhabit woodlands, deserts, grasslands, open fields, rocky mountain areas, even agricultural fields and human settlements, but they don’t live in dense forests or wetlands. Spotted skunks are agile climbers and may be found in trees to avoid predators and to find food.

Skunks are omnivores and nocturnal. During the day, they’ll rest in burrows. Skunks have strong claws they can use to dig out these burrows, or they’ll move into a burrow that was dug by someone else. At night, they’ll forage for food eating fruits, snakes, birds, and species humans consider pests like insects and rodents. Skunks are also seasonal eaters taking more arthropods in the summer and more fruits in the autumn and winter. Well, at least for those living in areas with defined seasons!

Originally skunks were classified with animals like ferrets and martins and they are similar in size to these animals, but now it’s known their closest relatives are those stinky badgers - who aren’t like these types of badgers by the way - these are totally different. Spotted skunks are the smallest skunks and hog nosed skunks are the largest, but on average these little mammals are just a bit smaller than Chester.

Skunks are usually black and white in color, though they can come in browns and creams. They can also appear all white or all black, but the typical black and white patterns on skunks are warning colors. This is called ‘aposematic coloration’, and it’s a warning to predators that skunks should not be messed with! Skunks are well known for their stinky odor, but this is typically only used as a last resort to avoid predators. Skunks will first hiss, stomp, do handstands, puff out their tails, and even climb trees in order to keep predators at bay only spraying if they absolutely have to.

Skunk spray is a sulfurous mixture produced from the skunk’s anal glands. Skunks can aim the spray stream, usually doing so towards their assailant’s eyes. The spray causes a burning sensation and nausea and can be accurately aimed up to 10 feet (3m) away, though it can travel up to double that. Skunks aren’t immune to their own spray, however, so they usually won’t spray if it means they’re going to get coated in it, too. It also takes days for skunks to recharge their spray tanks which can leave them vulnerable to attacks. Skunk predators include coyotes, foxes, cougars, badgers, and birds of prey, and they’re most vulnerable during their first year of life.

Skunks are born without fur and are unable to use their stink cannons until they’re about a week old. They depend on their mothers to protect them for their first year of life. The breeding season for skunks varies by species and location, but generally lasts two to three months out of the year. Skunks aren’t considered territorial, though males may chase other males away from nearby females during this time. They’ll mate with multiple partners. Gestation varies among skunk species, too, with stripped and hog nosed skunks having two to three month gestation periods and spotted skunks having gestation that can last 250 days or longer due to delayed implantation.

Skunks give birth to two to ten babies, called kits, who are weaned at about two months of age and become sexually mature around a year old. Skunks are usually solitary outside of the breeding season and mothers with their young, but in seasonal areas they’ll rest in communal dens during the winter. Skunks don’t necessarily hibernate, but they will depend on fat reserves built up specifically to endure the winter season. In the wild, skunks on average live to be five years old.

For more facts on skunks check out the links in the description. Thank you to Bahja-Blix for today’s request! Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.