📷 Fabien1309 · Public domain
📷 Gary J. Wood
📷 Kuerschner
IUCN: Least Concern
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
KingdomAnimalia›PhylumChordata›ClassMammalia›OrderCarnivora›FamilyMephitidae›GenusMephitis
About
The striped skunk advertises its defence with bold white stripes: before spraying it hisses, stamps, and arches, then fires a sulfur compound accurate to 3 m from glands under its tail. Its warning pattern is mimicked by other species that benefit from the shared signal. Skunks den communally in winter and eat many garden pests, making them among the most recognized wild mammals of North America.
Key Facts
⛰Habitat Woodland, farmland, grassland, and suburban areas
🍃Diet Omnivore — insects, rodents, eggs, fruit, and carrion
📏Size & Weight Body 32–47 cm; tail 18–28 cm
•weight 0.8–5.5 kg
⏳Lifespan 2–4 years wild
🗺Range Southern Canada through most of the United States to northern Mexico
MammalMustelid
Key Facts
⛰Habitat Woodland, farmland, grassland, and suburban areas
🍃Diet Omnivore — insects, rodents, eggs, fruit, and carrion
📏Size & Weight Body 32–47 cm; tail 18–28 cm
•weight 0.8–5.5 kg
⏳Lifespan 2–4 years wild
🗺Range Southern Canada through most of the United States to northern Mexico
Photo Credits
#1Fabien1309 · Public domain
#2Gary J. Wood · CC BY-SA 2.0
#3Kuerschner · Public domain
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