Binghamton Zoo Animals

Striped Skunk

(Mephitis mephitis)
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mephidae
Genus: Mephitis
Species: Mephitis mephitis

HABITAT AND RANGE: The striped skunk can be found virtually everywhere, from deserts to forests and open grasslands and also heavily populated urban areas. They are found everywhere from Canada to Mexico except southern California, Nevada, and Southwestern Utah.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: The striped skunk has a somewhat small. Glossy black body with a broad white area on top of its head and the back of its neck, which usually divides into a “V” at the shoulder forming two white lines which run the length of its body to the base of its bushy tail. These short legged and flat-footed animals have long claws adapted for digging. As with other members of the family Mustelidae, striped skunks possess anal scent glands. Striped skunks average 510 to 710 mm (20 to 28 inches) in total length and weigh 0.75 to 2.50 kg (1.5 to 5.5 lbs.).

ADAPTATIONS: The characteristic for which skunks are best known is their ability to spray a stream of musk from the anal scent glands. If disturbed or threatened, a skunk will often stomp its front feet, snap the tail up in warning and then, if necessary, spray the intruder with uncanny accuracy from distances as great as 15 feet. The two glands contain about 3 teaspoons full of the oily, foul smelling musk (enough for 5-6 discharges) which can replace at a rate of about two teaspoons full per week. The striped skunk is a peaceful animal with males usually remaining solitary throughout the summer. In the winter several females may share a den, often with a single male who probably keeps out other males. In the northern parts of its range, the striped skunk sleeps through the winter, though occasional forages are made from its den.

DIET: Although striped skunks are classified as carnivores, their diet is omnivorous. In the wild skunks eat snakes, lizards, insects, frogs, ground-nesting birds’ eggs, fruits, roots, and leaves. In the zoo skunks are fed dry dog food, omnivore diet, apples and carrots and vitamin supplements.

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Adult striped skunks breed in late winter or early spring and the young are born after a gestation period of about 63 days. Litter size varies from 4 to 10 with 5 or 6 being the average number of young. Birth takes place in a dry, vegetation-lined den with the newborn skunks weighing approximately one ounce each. The young will nurse until they are six or seven weeks old. The mother skunk soon takes her young with her to teach them to hunt and forage during the night. This family unit breaks up in August or September. Striped skunks can breed when they are one year old and may live about 8 years in the wild. In captivity, skunks have lived 10 years.

STATUS IN WILD: The striped skunk is one of our most widespread and numerous wild animals due to its flexibility of habitat and diet.