Dija Know this about Skunks?

	Scientific Name = Mephitis Mephitis (striped Skunk)
	The striped skunk is the most common.
	The striped skunk characterized by a black body with a narrow white stripe on the forehead and wider stripes that extend from the neck along each side of the back. It is about the size of a large domestic cat while the spotted skunk is half that size.
	Other skunks are: the Hog Nose Skunk and the Hooded Skunk.
	Skunks are part of the weasel family.
	The Weasel family consists of the following animals: skunks, badgers, honey badger, ferrets, polecats, ermine, mink, martens and wolverines.
	A skunk can spray his noxious odor up to 23 feet.  That depends on favorable wind conditions.
	Skunks can spray very accurately up to 6 feet.
	When a skunks sprays he aims for the face and eyes.
	Other animals avoid skunks as a food source.
	Skunks co-exist with foxes, raccoons, and coyotes and sometimes they even share the same burrow with a skunk.
	Skunks are carnivorous.  That means their major prey are insects and small mammals.  Skunks also eat grubs, birds eggs and fruit.
	Skunks live in many different habitats including urban areas.
	They are nocturnal.  (they are active at night)
	When raising offspring, males do not help the females.
	Skunks will usually stamp their feet, hiss or growl and raise their tail erect as a warning of an oncoming discharge. After a full discharge, it takes up to 10 days to replenish the supply.
	Mating occurs in late winter (February and March) and the young are born from mid-spring until mid-summer. Generally, there are 4 - 6 young per litter. Young skunks are weaned at 2 months and usually leave to establish their own den by fall.

	Territories of the males partially overlap that of 2 or more females.
	A skunk's territory size is slightly under one square mile.

Cool Fun Skunk Tracking Facts