Skunks

Eeewww!  Smelly little creatures.  It's the animal's unmistakable eau de parfum.  And it is too bad because skumk spray has given the wrong impression about these gentle, non-aggressive animals.

Cat-sized or smaller with long fur and long bushy tails, skunks are easily identified by their distinctive black and white coloration.  These near-sighted creatures are omnivores and have a hearty appetite for grubs and insects that are pests to humans.  They have also been known to consume mice and baby rats.

Striped skunks breed in February and March and sometimes become quite noticeable when amorous male skunks seek out females who may not be in the mood.  Generally, skunks are solitary animals, except when raising young or sharing a den during cold periods.

Baby skunks are generally born in May and June.  Skunks den in cavities such as woodchuck burrows, hollow logs, brush piles, stone walls and under buildings.  A den is usually used for brief periods because of skunks' nomadic tendency.  Once the babies are mobile, the mother will appear with young, traveling single file behind her.

The skunk's only defense is a familiar noxious odor created by a sulfuric acid that can be "fired" from either of two independently operating anal glands.  Contrary to popular myth, striped skunks cannot spray over their backs.  However, spotted skunks do have the unique ability to spray while doing a handstand.  Skunks have a limited supply of ammunition; they don't waste their defensive spray, because they can't "reload" very quickly.  Instead they stamp their front feet as a warning when threatened, giving ample opportunity for an intruder to back off.