striped skunk population by statestriped skunk population by state

A skunk can shoot musk about twelve feet, but will use it as only a last resort, preferring, instead, to bluff an enemy. Coyotes, foxes, owls, bobcat and fisher will prey on skunks, and collisions with cars are a common cause of skunk deaths. Most striped skunks do not survive their first year, succumbing to the weather or disease. This skunk is considerably smaller than striped skunks on the mainland and has softer, glossier fur. They prefer open areas with a variety of habitats and inhabit particularly mixed woodlands, brushy corners, and open fields interspersed with wooded ravines and rocky outcrops. [10] Brown or cream-colored mutations occasionally occur. To help assess population trends, we can look at regional furbearer harvest data, methods. Newborns are helpless and rely completely on their mother. Field guides refer to the musk as highly repellent to all mammals. In short, it stinks. Skunk fur is an important asset to the fur industry, with pelts with a greater percentage of black grading higher. Quick Facts Species Type Native Size Around 8 pounds Habitat Forests, grasslands, meadows and suburban areas Range Striped skunks have black fur with a wide, white stripe from the head all the way down the back on the body. Written by Jason Dahl, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student. A skunk is colored black and white. Coleraine, MN 55722, Ermine (Short-tailed Weasel; Mustela erminea). . To one early 20th century naturalist, it was a mixture of perfume musk, essense of garlic, burning sulfur and sewer gas magnified a thousand times. Kits are born blind and sparsely furred, weighing 2540grams. Skunks are capable of breeding in their first year. [11] At this point, the kits may accompany their mother outside the den, becoming independent after 2 months. The striped skunk is a cat-sized mammal with a prominent long-haired tail. (females slightly smaller) Lifespan: Up to 7 years in the wild. Females usually lose 10 to 30 percent of their body weight by spring; males lose only about 10 percent, as they are more inclined to leave their dens and feed during mild spells. Striped skunks reach reproductive maturity when they are 10 months old. High corn plants also protect young skunks from airborne and land predators without impeding their movements. Length: 14.0 - 22.0 inches Tail: 4.5 - 9.0 inches Ears: 1.0 - 1.1 inches Weight: 0.75 - 2.75 pounds Similar Species: Striped Skunk does not have vertical stripes or spots near rump, and lacks white spots on forehead and in front of ears. Residential areas that have both lawns and large, mast producing shade trees often provide optimal habitat for skunks. Young are born blind, with eyes opening between 2-4 weeks of age. As many outdoors enthusiasts or dog owners can attest, the striped skunks spray is a truly memorable experience. Habitat: It is not unusual to see a female skunk with a line of little black and white copies following her across a damp pasture or lawn on an early July morning. They den in ground burrows, stumps, wood and rock piles, overhanging creek banks and beneath buildings. The striped skunk is a medium sized carnivorous mustelid ranging from 520 to 770 mm total length and weighing between 1.8 and 4.5 kg ( Valdez-Villavicenio et al., 2014 ). Skunk dens have 1-5 well-hidden entrances, and end in 1-3 rooms lined with vegetation. They are native to the United States and Canada. [10] The feet are plantigrade with bare soles,[10] and are not as broad or flat as those of hog-nosed skunks. There is a high mortality rate among skunks; many do not survive beyond their first year. A muscle-encapsulated gland positioned under the tail produces a liquid that can be expelled. They prefer open areas with a variety of habitats and inhabit particularly mixed woodlands, brushy corners, and open fields interspersed with wooded ravines and rocky outcrops. [11], The striped skunk is easily tamed and was often kept in barns to kill rats and mice during the 19th century. Density estimates for striped skunk populations ranged from 0.7 to 18.5/km 2 but most were 1.8 to 4.8/km 2 . Although these animals are usually silent, they can make a wide range of sounds, including hissing, screeching, churring, growling, twittering, and cooing sounds during social interactions or when alarmed. Skunks often leave holes in the ground where they forage for insects or tear apart ground nests of small animals. They do not hibernate, and may forage for food occasionally during the season, but generally rely on their fat reserves to see them through the winter. Frequently they leave evidence of their feeding: small, cone-shaped holes in the soil, pine needles, leaf duff or suburban lawns mark where they have dug for grubs. 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. Three other skunk species live in the United States: hooded and hognose skunks, which inhabit the Southwest, and the spotted skunk, which is found throughout much of the country. Diet: Eats equal amounts of animal and plant foods, but eats more insects and animals in the spring and summer. Striped Skunks become sexually mature when they are approximately ten months old. Striped skunks may be . Alabama Arkansas Colorado Florida Georgia Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska [22], The striped skunk was once called the "emblem of America" by Ernest Thompson Seton. Striped skunks will dig these dens if necessary, but also may occupy one vacated by a groundhog or other animal. Striped skunks are omnivorous. Females give birth in May, often in woodchuck burrows, to an average litter of six. Eastern spotted skunk on the Appalachian Trail. According to IUCN, the Striped skunk is common and widely distributed throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Body weight ranged from 4.0 lb to 8.8 lb (1.8-4.0 kg) in Wisconsin. Striped skunks are largely nocturnal, medium-sized omnivores in the weasel family (Mustelidae). Mephitis memphitis has proven highly adaptable. Perhaps the value of skunk musk to the perfume industry, combined with the commercial use of their pelts, caused early legislators to give skunks special consideration. Along with the woodchuck, raccoon, Canada goose, mourning dove, several species of blackbirds and other wildlife, the skunk prospers wherever humans clear land for farming and remove or drive out larger predators. The most common skunks in North America, striped skunks are terrestrial animals that can survive in a variety of habitats and land types. The central chamber is lined with dry grass and leaves. In some cases, a secondary breeding period will occur in May in the event that the first litter was lost, or pseudopregnacny occurs. Striped skunks mate in February and early March. Its body is often mostly black, with white occurring in a narrow blaze up the middle of its forehead. Other names include polecat and the French Canadian enfant du diable, or child of the devil.. After spraying, the striped skunk will take the opportunity to run away from the intruder, which will be more interested in dealing with the spray than with the skunk. Preferred foods are insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles; also eats bees, wasps, mice, lizards, snakes, crayfish, bird eggs, and mushrooms. They weigh 3 to 12 pounds, depending on age, sex, physical condition and time of year. Skunks molt yearly, beginning in April and ending in September. The Striped skunk can be recognized easily by its pattern and colors. They have an average overall length of between 21 and 27 inches. Some specimens have a white patch on the chest, while others bear white stripes on the outer surface of the front limbs. This type of regulatory protection has been successful. For this reason, it is not wise to feed a house cat outside your home after dark. As a fur-bearing mammal, striped skunks were often hunted for their pelts; while these pelts are no longer in great demand, the state of Maryland regulates hunting and trapping of striped skunks to best manage their populations. Some farmers welcome their presence, realizing that these small predators eat many pest insects and rodents. If sprayed on the eyes, this compound can cause a temporary burning sensation. 2012. Striped skunk is ideally suited for this purpose because the white hairs of the pelt become a uniform, glossy black when dyed. They are found in every county of Ohio as well as throughout the United States. One outbreak can kill 80 percent of a regional skunk population in less than a year. Musk can make a predator sick or, if the skunk has been able to direct the substance into the animals eyes, temporarily blind. Striped skunks are omnivorous, opportunistic feeders. While family ties are usually broken in August or September, some mothers over-winter with their offspring. They typically inhabit areas with a mixture of dense vegetation and open areas. Presence. After 60 days gestation, she bears 2 to 10 young (usually 5 to 7). The regulations allow only a limited, open harvest season. A Striped Skunk in Queen Annes County, Maryland, 2020. Keystone State. Some female yearlings will stay with their mothers into the coming winter. In colder weather, they may eat voles, young birds, or bird eggs. Female Striped Skunks give birth to six to eight babies once a year only during the month of May or June. To a chemist, the spray consists of of four carbon and hydrogen compounds called thiols. Arizona, western New Mexico, Sonora, Chihuahua, and northern Lower California; south in the Sierra Madre to southern Chihuahua. The Striped Skunk is found in lowlands throughout Washington, preferring relatively open country such as logged lands, old fields, open woods, brushy grassland, forest edges, riparian corridors, and agricultural areas. The eyes are small and the ears are short. They move at a deliberate walk, slow trot or clumsy gallop. The type locality is in eastern Canada. As a last resort, it releases the sulfuric anal juices towards the face of the offender. The striped skunk is abundant in New York and its populations are secure. Photo by Lori Byrne, They have been observed living in wooded areas, deserts and plains, and have even adapted to urban and suburban environments. The size of a skunk's home range will vary based on the amount of food and shelter available in the area. [4] Emphasis was placed on selectively breeding the tamest and darkest colored skunks. 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. Litters number 2 to 10 kits. Though . [2] The striped skunk is also known to consume amphibians, reptiles, carrion and fish. Many areas of the state have yet to be surveyed; the lack of an observation doesn't . Like all skunks, they possess highly developed musk-filled scent glands to ward off predators. [4] The name "Alaska sable" was employed by furriers during the late 19th century. These animals are also found in rock outcrops (Crabb 1948). Skunks do not hibernate, although they may remain dormant underground all winter. Striped skunks live throughout North America from southern Canada into northern Mexico. Regional records for the eastern spotted skunk suggest that this species extended its range northward into Minnesota in the early 1900s. Its tail is black, fluffy, and long. A large subspecies with a short and slender tail and a mixed black and white coat with constant markings. Eyes open when they are about 3 weeks old. The Striped skunk is threatened by predation, disease, environmental conditions (such as a severe winter or a drought), chemicals, human activities, diseases like rabies and the associated control programs. Male body weight ranged from 5.5 lb to 9.9 lb (2.5-4.5 kg) in Minnesota and female body weight ranged from 4 to 9 lb (1.8-4.1 kg) in Minnesota. It typically has a broad patch on the back of its head, and a V-shaped mark over its shoulders, which forms stripes that continue along the animals back and often unite at the base of its tail. A single male may have a harem of several females, which he mates with and defends against other males for a period of about 35 days. Skunks can spray up to 15 feet, but the smell can carry up to a mile. Striped skunks mate in February and early March. [20], The fat was once reputed to make an excellent lubricant. Regularly occurring. However, that could change. In cultivated areas, striped skunks will dig their dens in fencerows, likely because they are less likely to be disturbed by machinery or livestock. Habitat: They occur in a variety of habitats in both rural and urban areas, but tend to prefer forest borders, brushy field corners, fencerows, open grassy fields, rocky outcrops, and agricultural fields. Regionally, skunk harvest plummeted from peaks in the 1970s and 1980s. Photo by Smithsonian Wild. Eastern Canada; Nova Scotia, Quebec, and northern Ontario. Their conspicuous black and white coloration warns of their best defense, the strong-smelling musk they spray to ward off threats. Skunk pelt prices may have doubled from about 1939 through the early 1940s, but they were never as valuable as red fox. In some states, like Florida, skunks may be killed only during a season, but harvests year-round are allowed in most states. Surprisingly, a skunk seldom sprays when caught in a foothold or box trap. Go to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. [18] In the winter and spring months, the striped skunk will supplement its diet with vertebrates such as white-footed mice, voles, eggs and the chicks of ground nesting birds. As an opportunistic feeder, it will fill its diet with a variety of insects, small mammals, eggs, and occasional plants. Pioneers found the striped skunk ( Mephitis mephitis) when they came to Ohio, although skunk numbers are far greater now. Once the mating period has finished, the impregnated females confine themselves to their dens, while the males attempt to rebuild their fat reserves. Northern and central California, from the vicinity of Monterey Bay northward, west of the Sierra and Cascades, to the Willamette Valley, Oregon. An interesting side note is that house cats tolerate the presence of skunks. Summer home ranges of 83 to 1,860 acres have been reported for skunks in Illinois. Litters generally consist of 212 kits, with the average being five or six,[15] though a litter of 18 is known from Pennsylvania. Cornfields are good feeding areas, where skunks forage for grasshoppers, grubs and beetles. Striped skunks can experience delayed implantation lasting up to 19 days. And, like these two other mammals, skunks walk in a plantigrade manneron the soles of their feet with heels touching the ground. The burrow has a central chamber (12 to 15 inches in diameter) about three feet underground, connected to the surface by one or more tunnels 5 to 15 feet long. Trapping may help minimize the impacts of disease on a skunk population. Striped skunks at the Smithsonian's National Zoo consume a diet consisting primarily of leafy greens, vegetables and insects. Mostly nocturnal and does not hibernate. The striped skunk is one of the major carriers of the rabies virus, second only to raccoons in the US where skunks are 25% of annual cases. Skunks are intelligent and usually good-natured. The species commonly found in Pennsylvania is the striped skunk. The common striped skunk is found from central Canada southward throughout the United States to northern Mexico. Skunks are known to everyone by sight, smell, and reputation. Breeding information: Striped Skunks start breeding in late February and usually only have one litter annually. Protection and promoting general public awareness of a species is a good way to secure its status. Skunks dig out bumblebee nests and scratch at the entrances of beehives, catching and eating any honeybees that fly out. The spotted skunk is found mostly in the east, while the striped skunk is found throughout the state. The advantage that these birds have over their terrestrial counterparts is that, because they have no sense of smell, they are unaffected by the striped skunks last means of defense: its spray. Phylogeography of striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in North America: Pleistocene dispersal and contemporary population structure. Skunks have small heads, with small eyes and ears and a pointed nose. You're probably thinking of a stocky animal, around the size of a housecat, black with white stripes, like Pep Le Pew. The spray, which can not only offend the nose but sting the eyes, can reach 12 feet from the skunk; the mist of the spray and the odor can travel considerably further. Late-winter to early-spring is mating season. They occasionally receive mice, eggs, nuts and select fruits as well. It has broad stripes that cover its body length, although the coloration may vary. They prefer open areas, with abundant populations observed on agricultural lands. With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States. Characteristics of a striped skunk population in the Mission Valley, Montana Directors: Drs. Confident. 2. Barton, H. D., and S. M. Wisely. Some populations, particularly in northwestern Illinois, prefer cultivated areas over uncultivated ones. I. J. Striped skunk sizes vary greatly depending upon time of year and geographic location,with weights fluctuating between 1.5 and 13 pounds (0.7 to 6.3 kg), and total length varying between18 and 32 inches (46.5 to 81.5 cm). In warmer weather, they depend on insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles, crayfish, and worms, with occasional fruits and nuts. They will hunt with the mother for the first time around 7 weeks and weaning occurs at 8 weeks. [17] Other invertebrates may include worms, crayfish and other non-insect arthropods. Hooded and hog-nosed skunks occupy ranges from the U.S. Southwest to southernmost Argentina and Peru. Striped skunks were a staple of the fur trade into the 1950s, but low pelt . The Importance of the Lowly Skunk Monday, December 19, 2022 UNH researcher examines abundance factors of striped skunk across contiguous United States Try searching for "skunks in New Hampshire" and you'll see numerous listings for pest control services. These grades are further subdivided in value according to their locality, with the most valuable occurring in northern regions, where the fur is finer and darker. Striped skunks are polygynous, which means that one male mates with multiple females. Male total length ranged from 24.8 to 29.9 (630-760 mm) in Minnesota, and female total length ranged from 21.2 to 25.6 (540-650 mm) in Minnesota. Some stories try to explain its striped pattern or how it got its smell. The striped skunk is a black and white mammal about the size of a house cat. Striped skunks are common throughout their range. They can swim, but are poor climbers. At 2-4 weeks, kits can assume a defensive stance and discharge fluid from their scent glands. The striped skunk occurs throughout most lowland areas in Washington, preferring open fields, pastures, and croplands near brushy fencerows, rock outcroppings, and brushy draws. Skunks are about the size of house cats, and have distinctive black and white fur patterns. Skunks make a variety of sounds, including hisses, growls, squeals, soft coos and churrings. . Size: 18-32 inches long; up to 8 lbs. Within a few weeks, I have the skunk skull on my desk, a stack of articles on skunks, and a copy of The Biology of the Striped Skunk, by B. J. Vertsthe definitive textbook on the animal . The striped skunk has a white stripe that starts at the top of its head, splits at the neck, and extends down each side of its body. The striped skunk (or Mephitis mephitis) is a small mammal found throughout North America, including southern Canada, the US and northern Mexico. Striped skunks are opportunistic omnivores, with a diet that varies with what is available. Litters of 2-16 (usually 4-6) young are born in May or June. Average Size Striped skunks stand about 6 inches at the shoulder and weigh from 3 to 8 pounds, with males being 10 to 15 percent larger than females. It can spray in any direction by twisting its rump toward the target. Once they are weaned, the young skunks will follow their mother in a single file line and learn to forage and hunt. They typically breed in the later winter or early spring, giving birth to a single litter of 1 - 6 young born in May or June. Skunks eat honeybees and wasps and often attack beehives. [5], The striped skunk was regularly eaten by trappers and indigenous peoples, provided the animal was not too old or had not sprayed before being killed. In Kansas, the striped skunk is recognized as a leading rabies vector, often accounting for 80 percent of more of the animals that test positive for the disease each year. No children of Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) found. A surfeit is the word for a group of skunks. Younger females may bear fewer young and give birth later in the year than older females. Their top speed is about 10 miles per hour. Maryland is home to two members of the skunk family. Skunks spray when threatened, serving as a nuisance for sprayed humans and pets. West side of Mississippi Valley from southern Louisiana to Missouri; westward along the coast of Texas to Matagorda Island; and up the Red River Valley as far at least as Wichita Falls. Young, called kits or kittens, are born helpless, with eyes opening at about 3 weeks and weaning occurring at 6 to 7 weeks. Kits are able to follow their mother on hunting trips at two months, and soon after disperse. The bottoms of their feet are hairless, like those of bears or raccoons. This striped skunk caught a vole. Other mortality factors are diseases such as pneumonia, distemper, pulmonary aspergillosis, tularemia, brucellosis and rabies; highway kills, starvation and trapping. [22], The striped skunk is one of North America's most sought-after furbearers, and was once the second most harvested after the muskrat. One of the most notable characteristics of this animal is its defense system; striped skunks have the ability to spray a foul smelling fluid from two glands located near the base of the tail. Skunks are nocturnal solitary animals and forage and hunt in the evening. It persists in much of its original range and populations are healthy. Striped skunks are typically docile mammals that tolerate humans in close proximity without showing aggression. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Their senses of sight, smell and hearing have been judged poor to fair compared with those of other wild mammals. [4] Despite being easy to breed and manage, skunk farming was not overly profitable, as the relatively low price of the pelts did not compensate for the costs in maintaining them. Local populations are also affected by severe weather, food scarcities and habitat change. Because skunks are difficult to kill without having them discharge their musk (and thus ruin their fur) they were typically dispatched with a paralyzing blow to the lower back or drowned if caught in a box trap. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today remain stable. As one of the most recognizable mammals anywhere, striped skunks are known for their black fur and characteristic white stripes on their head and down their back. Weight: 3.5 - 10.0 pounds. Reproduction. Size Total length: 14-24 inches; tail length: 4-11 inches; weight: -2 pounds (males are heavier than females). Throughout the winter, they have been observed eating small mammals and ground-nesting hatchlings and eggs, and hunting amphibians, reptiles and fish. Striped Skunks reach the lowest torpid body temperature of all carnivores, dropping from 98.6F to 78.8F (37C to 26C). During the day, they nest in the abandoned dens that other animals have lived in, or in brush piles or hollowed logs, or underneath buildings. A Striped Skunk in Wicomico County, Maryland, 2011. The Striped skunk has narrow white stripes located at the center of its face, which differ in length and width across individuals. By the late Pleistocene (70,00014,500 years ago), the striped skunk was widely distributed throughout the southern United States, and it expanded northwards and westwards by the Holocene (10,0004,500 years ago) following the retreat of the Wisconsin glacier. Skunks fill various roles in legends and may be featured as heroes, villains, tricksters, or monsters. However, recent surveys now . A very large subspecies with a heavily furred, medium-sized tail. A strong market for fur-trimmed cloth coats developed in the late 1930s as our country recovered from the Great Depression. It is also seenor its musky odor noticedin some suburban and urban locations, particularly near sources of open water. . Where To Find Rabies outbreaks have affected populations in Illinois. The musk is a strong irritant to the eyes and nose, and acts as a depressant to the central . Come spring, striped skunk males will mate with several females during late February through early March. This association likely resulted in the striped skunk's subsequent unfavorable reputation as a poultry thief, despite it being a much less destructive animal than the true polecat. They can weigh from 6 to 14 pounds. And, contrary to popular opinion, it can discharge when hoisted by the tail. They have a small, white stripe on their forehead which splits and expands down the sides of its back. Cipriani, D. (2011) "Skunks are affectionate, intelligent pets for owners who offer the proper care.". The specific pattern of the stripes on the head, body and tail can vary among individuals, and is accompanied by a thin, white stripe running from the snout to forehead. Cases of rabies in this species are generally epizootic and recurrent. During the breeding season, males may travel as far as 8 km (4.9 mi) at night. The the striped skunk in Tennessee is the most commone and it occurs state-wide. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Skunks are a significant asset in controlling the populations of crop-destroying rodents and insects. Although they may cover several miles each night while hunting, established individuals rarely wander more than a half-mile from their home burrows. Special Requests to Use State Game Lands Information, Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), HUNTING:July. It also suggested that the decline in Plains Spotted Skunk harvest was due to decline in fur prices (Reports from 1951). Striped skunks are omnivores and eat both plants and meat. After three weeks, their scent glands become functional; at four weeks, their eyes open; and at about two months the young are weaned and ready to leave the den for nighttime hunting forays. Skunks are solitary and typically nonaggressive, and they have not historically been a serious threat to homeowners, agricultural producers and other wildlife. Young striped skunks reach sexual maturity at about 10 months. It is about the size of a house cat and has a potent musk that often overshadows the beauty of its glossy and durable fur. Widespread, it is found in suitable habitat from sea level to timberline in all 48 contiguous states, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. While the species plays an important role in insect control through its diet, the striped skunks reputation among humans is often based on its digging behavior, in search of food in lawns and gardens, and on its odoriferous interaction with curious dogs. Docile in nature, they are famous for their defense system of a bad-smelling spray that comes from two glands near the base of their tail. Gestation is for around 59 to 77 days, starting with delayed implantation that can be as long as 19 days. Female striped skunks typically give birth once each year, with breeding occurring between February and April. A white triangle can be seen on their face starting at the forehead and pointing down like an arrowhead to their nose. The skunk lives in a variety of habitats but prefers open areas. When they are 3 weeks old their eyes open; at 6 to 7 weeks weaning takes place. Fruits, nuts, carrion, garbage, invertebrates, eggs, small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles can all be taken, but insects usually represent the majority of their diet. Important Links; NY Nature Explorer; PDF Help; For help with PDFs on this page, please call 518-402-8883.; Contact for this Page; Bureau of Wildlife 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233-4754 518-402-8883 Other predators include birds of prey such as great horned owls and bald eagles. Females give birth in May, often in woodchuck burrows, to an average litter of six. Spotted skunks will also use barns and out buildings for cover. They favor mixed woods and brushland, rolling weedy fields, fencerows, wooded ravines and rocky outcrops in or near agricultural areas. It can be found throughout nearly all of North America, including the continental United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico.

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