Difference between revisions of "Skunk" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
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{{otheruses}}
 
{{Taxobox
 
{{Taxobox
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| color = pink
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| name = Skunks
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| name = Skunk
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| status = lc
 
| image = Striped skunk.jpg
 
| image = Striped skunk.jpg
 
| image_width = 200px
 
| image_width = 200px
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| ordo = [[Carnivora]]
 
| ordo = [[Carnivora]]
 
| subordo = [[Caniformia]]
 
| subordo = [[Caniformia]]
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| superfamilia = [[Musteloidea]]
 
| familia = '''Mephitidae'''
 
| familia = '''Mephitidae'''
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| subdivision_ranks = Genera
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| familia_authority = Bonaparte, 1845
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| subdivision_ranks = [[Genus|Genera]]
 
| subdivision =
 
| subdivision =
 
''[[Conepatus]]''<br>
 
''[[Conepatus]]''<br>
 
''[[Mydaus]]''<br>
 
''[[Mydaus]]''<br>
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''[[Mephitis (genus)|Mephitis]]''<br>
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''[[Mephitis (genus)|Mephitis]]'' <small>([[Type (zoology)|type]])</small><br>
 
''[[Spilogale]]''<br>
 
''[[Spilogale]]''<br>
 
}}
 
}}
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'''Skunks''' (sometimes referred to as ''polecats'') are [[mammal]]s best known for their ability to excrete a strong, foul-smelling [[#Anal scent glands|odor]]. General appearance ranges from breed to breed from black and white to brown or cream colored [[fur]]. They belong to the [[family (biology)|family]] Mephitidae<ref name=MSW3>{{cite book |author=Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder |year=2005 |title= Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed)|publisher= John Hopkins University Press}}</ref><ref name=Dragoo>{{cite journal | author = [http://www.dragoo.org Dragoo] and Honeycutt | year = 1997 | title= Systematics of Mustelid-like Carnvores | journal = Journal of Mammalology | volume = 78 | issue = 2 | pages = 426–443 | doi= 10.2307/1382896}}</ref> and to the [[order (biology)|order]] [[Carnivora]].  There are 11 species of skunks, which are divided into four [[genus|genera]]: ''[[Mephitis (genus)|Mephitis]]'' (hooded and striped skunks, two species), ''[[Spilogale]]'' (spotted skunks, two species), ''[[Mydaus]]'' (stink badgers, two species), and ''[[Conepatus]]'' ([[hog-nosed skunk]]s, five species). The two skunk species in the ''Mydaus'' genus inhabit [[Indonesia]] and the [[Philippines]]; all other skunks inhabit [[the Americas]] from [[Canada]] to central [[South America]].
  
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Skunks, or polecats, are terrestrial somewhat fossovial mammals best known for their ability to eject a foul smelling oily liquid that vary in size from 15.6 in. (40 cm) to 27 in. (70 cm) and weigh between 1.1 lb. (0.5 kg) to 10 lb. (4.5 kg) with a moderately elongated body, well-muscled legs, and long claws used for digging. Although most commonly black and white, skunks can be brown, gray, or cream-colored with striping along the back, tail, and in some cases the legs. Some will have a single thick stripe, others two thinner stripes, while others will have a series of white spots and broken stripes.
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Skunks were formerly considered to be a subfamily of the [[Mustelidae]] family of weasels and related animals (where some taxonomists still place them), but recent [[Genetics|genetic]] evidence shows that they are not as closely related to the Mustelidae as formerly thought.<ref name=Dragoo/>
  
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Classified in the family Mephitidae, order Carnivora, there are eleven species and four genera of skunks. Two species of hooded and striped skunks in Mephitis, two species of spotted skunks in Spilogale, two species of stink badgers in Mydaus, and five species of hog-nosed skunks in Conepatus. While the skunk species of Mydaus inhabit the Philippines and Indonesia, the other species of skunk inhabit the Americas, from Canada to central South America.
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==Physical description==
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Skunk species vary in size from about 15.6 to 37 inches (40 to 70&nbsp;cm) and in weight from about 1.1 pounds (0.5&nbsp;kg) (the spotted skunks) to 18 pounds (8.2&nbsp;kg) (the [[hog-nosed skunk]]s). They have a moderately elongated body with reasonably short, well-muscled legs, and long front [[claw]]s for digging.
  
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==Anal scent glands==
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Although the most common fur color is black and white, some skunks are brown or gray, and a few are cream-colored. All skunks are striped, even from birth. They may have a single thick stripe across back and tail, two thinner stripes, or a series of white spots and broken stripes (in the case of the spotted skunk). Some also have stripes on their legs.
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The best-known, most distinctive, and often most notorious feature of skunks is their [[anal gland|anal scent glands]], which they can use as a defensive weapon. They are similar to, though much more developed than, the glands found in species of the [[Mustelidae]] family. Skunks have two glands, one on either side of the anus that produce a mixture of [[sulfur]]-containing chemicals, [[methyl]] and [[butyl]] [[thiol]]s that have a highly offensive smell that can be described as a combination of the odors of rotten [[egg (food)|eggs]], [[garlic]] and burnt [[rubber]]. The odor of the fluid is strong enough to ward off [[bears]] and other potential attackers, and can be difficult to remove from clothing.  Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with high accuracy as far as 2 to 3 meters (7 to 10 ft). The smell aside, the spray can cause irritation, temporary blindness, and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by an insensitive human nose anywhere up to a mile downwind. Their chemical defense, though unusual, is effective, as illustrated by this extract from [[Charles Darwin]]'s ''[[The Voyage of the Beagle]]'':
 
  
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<blockquote>We saw also a couple of Zorillos, or skunks,—odious animals, which are far from uncommon. In general appearance the Zorillo resembles a polecat, but it is rather larger, and much thicker in proportion. Conscious of its power, it roams by day about the open plain, and fears neither dog nor man. If a dog is urged to the attack, its courage is instantly checked by a few drops of the fetid oil, which brings on violent sickness and running of the elbow. Whatever is once polluted by it, is for ever useless. Azara says the smell can be perceived at a league distant; more than once, when entering the harbour of Monte Video, the wind being off shore, we have perceived the odour on board the "Beagle." Certain it is, that every animal most willingly makes room for the Zorillo (Darwin 1959).</blockquote>
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==Diet==
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Skunks are [[omnivorous]], eating both plant and animal material and changing their diet as the seasons change.  They eat [[insect]]s and [[larva]]e, [[earthworm]]s, small [[rodent]]s, [[lizard]]s, [[salamander]]s, [[frog]]s, [[snake]]s, [[bird]]s, [[Mole (animal)|mole]]s, and [[egg (biology)|eggs]]. They also commonly eat [[berries]], [[root]]s, [[leaves]], [[grass]]es, [[fungi]], and [[nut]]s.
  
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Skunks are reluctant to use their smelly weapon, as they carry just enough of the chemical for five or six uses—about 15 cc—and require some ten days to produce another supply. Their bold black and white colouring however serves to make the skunk's appearance memorable. Where practical, it is to a skunk's advantage to simply warn a threatening creature off without expending scent: the black and white warning colour aside, threatened skunks will go through an elaborate routine of hisses and foot stamping and tail-high threat postures before resorting to the spray. Interestingly, skunks will not spray other skunks (with the exception of males in the mating season); though they fight over den space in autumn, they do so with tooth and claw.
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In settled areas, skunks also seek human garbage. Less often, skunks may be found acting as [[scavenger]]s, eating [[bird]] and [[rodent]] carcasses left by [[cat]]s or other animals. Pet owners, particularly those of cats, may experience a skunk finding its way into a garage or basement where pet food is kept.
  
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The singular musk-spraying ability of the skunk has not escaped the attention of biologists: the names of the family and the most common genus Mephitidae, ''Mephitis'' mean "stench", and ''Spilogale putorius'' means "stinking spotted weasel". The word ''skunk'' is a corruption of an [[Abenaki]] name for them, ''segongw'' or ''segonku'', which means "one who squirts" in the [[Algonquian]] dialect.
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Skunks are one of the primary predators of the [[honeybee]], relying on their thick fur to protect them from stings. The skunk scratches at the front of the [[beehive]] and eats the guard bees that come out to investigate.  Mother skunks are known to teach this to their young.  A skunk family can virtually depopulate a healthy hive in just a few days.
  
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Most [[predator]]y animals of the Americas such as [[wolf|wolve]]s, [[fox]]es, and [[badger (animal)|badger]]s seldom attack skunks—presumably out of fear of being sprayed. The exception is the [[Great Horned Owl|great horned owl]], the animal's only serious predator, which like most [[bird]]s have a poor-to-nonexistent sense of smell.
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Skunks tend to be gluttonous feeders. They gain weight quickly if their diet becomes too fatty.
  
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Skunk spray is composed mainly of low molecular weight [[thiol]] compounds, namely (''E'')-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, and (''E'')-2-butenyl thioacetate which are detectable at concentrations of ~2 parts per million (DSP 2007)(Wood et al. 2002).
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==Behavior==
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Skunks are [[crepuscular]], and are [[solitary]] animals when not breeding, though in the colder parts of their [[Range (biology)|range]] they may gather in communal dens for warmth. During the day they shelter in burrows that they dig with their powerful front claws, or in other man-made or natural hollows as the opportunity arises. Both sexes occupy overlapping home ranges through the greater part of the year; typically 2 to 4 km² for females, up to 20 km² for males.
  
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Removing the scent from objects or creatures can be difficult. Some [[home remedy|home remedies]] suggest using [[tomato juice]] or [[vinegar]]. A more complex and effective remedy includes an application of a mixture containing [[hydrogen peroxide]], [[baking soda]], and [[liquid soap]] (Anderson 2007). The thiols, which are responsible for the odor, are not water soluble even with soap, but the baking soda [[catalyzes]] the oxidative ability of the peroxide which [[oxidizes]] the thiols into highly water-soluble [[sulfonate]]s. In an episode of the television program ''[[MythBusters]]'', the hydrogen peroxide mix was found to be the most effective smell removal agent (AM 2004).
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Skunks do not hibernate in the winter. However, they do remain generally inactive and feed rarely. They often overwinter in a huddle of one male and multiple (as many as twelve) females. The same winter den is often repeatedly used.
  
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From Popular Science Aug. 1995, chemist Paul Krebaum provided the recipe for the bathing concoction. One quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, one quarter cup of baking soda, and one teaspoon of liquid soap. Bath your pet in this solution and rinse with tap-water. Krebaum warned that there is no way to store this potion. "If you put the ingredients in a bottle, the whole thing would explode."
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Although they have excellent senses of smell and hearing — vital attributes in a crepuscular omnivore — they have poor vision. They cannot see objects more than about 3 metres away with any clarity, which makes them vulnerable to road [[traffic]]. Roughly half of all skunk deaths are caused by humans, as [[roadkill]], or as a result of shooting and [[poison]]ing.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} They are short-lived animals: fewer than 10% survive for longer than three years.{{Fact|date=September 2008}}
  
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==Behavior==
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==Reproduction==
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Skunks are [[crepuscular]], and are [[solitary]] animals when not breeding, though in the colder parts of their [[Range (biology)|range]] they may gather in communal dens for warmth. During the day they shelter in burrows that they dig with their powerful front claws or in other man-made or natural hollows as the opportunity arises. Both sexes occupy overlapping home ranges through the greater part of the year; typically 2 to 4 km² for females, up to 20 km² for males.
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[[Image:Baby skunk.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A baby striped skunk]]  
 +
Skunks typically mate in early spring and are a [[polygynous]] species, meaning that males usually mate with more than one female. Before giving birth (usually in May), the female will excavate a den to house her litter of four to seven kits. They are placental, with a gestation period of about 66 days.{{Fact|date=September 2008}}
  
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Unlike the fictional "Flower" in the movie ''[[Bambi]]'', real skunks do not hibernate in the winter; however, they do remain generally inactive and feed rarely. They often overwinter in a huddle of one male and multiple, as many as twelve, females. The same winter den is often repeatedly used whether under a house or in a tree.
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When born, skunk kits are blind, deaf, and covered in a soft layer of fur. About three weeks after birth, their eyes open. The kits are weaned about two months after birth, but generally stay with their mother until they are ready to mate, at about one year of age.
  
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Although they have excellent senses of smell and hearing, vital attributes in a nocturnal omnivore, they have poor vision. They cannot see objects more than roughly 3 meters away with any clarity which makes them very vulnerable to road [[traffic]]. Roughly half of all skunk deaths are caused by humans, as [[roadkill]] or as a result of shooting and [[poison|poisoning]]. They are short-lived animals: fewer than 10% survive for longer than three years.
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The mother is very protective of her kits, and will often spray at any sign of danger. The male plays no part in raising the young and may even kill them. {{Fact|date=September 2008}}
  
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==Bites==
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==Anal scent glands==
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The [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] recorded 2,223 cases of [[rabies]] in skunks in the United States for the year 2000 - about 31% of reported cases in all species. Skunks trail raccoons as vectors of rabies although this varies regionally, as raccoons dominate along the Atlantic coast and eastern Gulf of Mexico while skunks are more prominent throughout the Midwest, down to the western Gulf, and in California. Despite this prevalence, all recorded cases of human rabies from 1990-2002 are attributed by the CDC to dogs or bats.  
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The notorious feature of skunks is their [[anal gland|anal scent glands]], which they can use as a defensive weapon. They are similar to, though much more developed than, the glands found in species of the [[Mustelidae]] family. Skunks have two glands, one on either side of the anus, that produce a mixture of [[sulfur]]-containing chemicals ([[methyl]] and [[butyl]] [[thiol]]s (mercaptans)) that has a highly offensive smell that can be described as a combination of the odors of rotten [[egg (food)|eggs]], [[garlic]] and burnt [[rubber]]. The odor of the fluid is strong enough to ward off [[bears]] and other potential attackers, and can be difficult to remove from clothing. Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with high accuracy as far as 2 to 5 metres (7 to 15 ft). The smell aside, the spray can cause irritation and even temporary blindness, and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by even an insensitive human nose anywhere up to a mile downwind. Their chemical defense, though unusual, is effective, as illustrated by this extract from [[Charles Darwin]]'s ''[[Voyage of the Beagle]]'':
 +
 
 +
<blockquote>We saw also a couple of ''Zorrillos'', or skunks—odious animals, which are far from uncommon. In general appearance the ''Zorrillo'' resembles a polecat, but it is rather larger, and much thicker in proportion. Conscious of its power, it roams by day about the open plain, and fears neither dog nor man. If a dog is urged to the attack, its courage is instantly checked by a few drops of the fetid oil, which brings on violent sickness and running at the nose. Whatever is once polluted by it, is for ever useless. Azara says the smell can be perceived at a league distant; more than once, when entering the harbour of Monte Video, the wind being off shore, we have perceived the odour on board the ''Beagle''. Certain it is, that every animal most willingly makes room for the ''Zorrillo''.<ref>{{cite book | last = Darwin | first = Charles | authorlink = Charles Darwin | year = 1839 | title = Voyage of the Beagle | url = http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3704 | accessdate = 2006-06-27 | id = ISBN 0-14-043268-X }}</ref></blockquote>
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 +
Skunks are reluctant to use their smelly weapon, as they carry just enough of the chemical for five or six uses—about 15 cc—and require some ten days to produce another supply. Their bold black and white coloring however serves to make the skunk's appearance memorable. Where practical, it is to a skunk's advantage to simply warn a threatening creature off without expending scent: the black and white warning color aside, threatened skunks will go through an elaborate routine of hisses, foot stamping, and tail-high threat postures before resorting to the spray. Interestingly, skunks will not spray other skunks (with the exception of males in the mating season); though they fight over den space in autumn, they do so with tooth and claw.
  
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In case of a skunk bite, follow these directions as a precaution against rabies or other infection. If a situation with a biting animal is out of control, call emergency services immediately. If possible without further injury, retain the skunk, dead or alive, to assess and prevent the risk of spreading disease - if the animal is dead, place on ice or refrigerate. Wash the wound thoroughly with antibacterial soap and water. Place pressure to stop any bleeding. See your doctor or emergency medical services as soon as possible - within no more than 72 hours, and sooner depending on the severity of the wound or any difficulties in stopping bleeding. Call your local animal control agency to take the skunk away. Ask to have it tested for rabies. Once a doctor has looked over the wound, ask if a tetanus shot is necessary or recommended. When the test results are finished on the skunk, you will be told if you should get the rabies vaccine or not.
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The singular musk-spraying ability of the skunk has not escaped the attention of biologists: the names of the family and the most common genus (Mephitidae, ''Mephitis'') mean "stench", and ''Spilogale putorius'' means "stinking spotted weasel". The word ''skunk'' is a corruption of an [[Abenaki]] name for them, ''segongw'' or ''segonku'', which means "one who squirts" in the [[Algonquian]] dialect.
  
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== Diet ==
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Most [[predator]]y animals of the Americas, such as [[wolf|wolves]], [[fox]]es and [[badger (animal)|badger]]s, seldom attack skunks—presumably out of fear of being sprayed. The exception is the [[Great Horned Owl|great horned owl]], the animal's only serious predator, which, like most [[bird]]s, has a poor-to-nonexistent sense of smell.
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Skunks are [[omnivorous]], eating both plant and animal material. They eat [[invertebrates]] such as [[insect]]s and their [[larvae]], found by digging, [[earthworm]]s, as well as small [[vertebrate]]s like [[rodent]]s, [[lizard]]s, [[salamander]]s, [[frog]]s, [[snake]]s, [[bird]]s, moles, and [[egg (biology)|eggs]]. In the absence of insects or other prey, skunks eat wild [[fruit]]s and large seeds. In settled areas, skunks also seek human garbage.
 
  
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==Reproduction==
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Skunk spray is composed mainly of low molecular weight thiol compounds,<ref>"<cite>Skunk spray is composed mainly of low molecular weight thiol compounds.</cite>" [http://education.vetmed.vt.edu/Curriculum/VM8054/Labs/Lab19/Deskunk.htm Note: Sure Fire Method for De-Scenting Pets Who've had a Close Encounter with a Skunk]</ref> namely (''E'')-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, and 2-quinolinemethanethiol, as well as [[acetate]] [[thioesters]] of each of these.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Journal of Chemical Ecology| volume= 28| issue= 9| year= 2002 |title=Volatile Components in Defensive Spray of the Hooked Skunk, Mephitis macroura|author= Wood W. F., Sollers B. G., Dragoo G. A., Dragoo J. W.|doi=10.1023/A:1020573404341 | pages = 1865}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.humboldt.edu/~wfw2/chemofskunkspray.html|title=Chemistry of Skunk Spray|accessdate=2008-01-02|author=William F. Wood|publisher=Dept. of Chemistry, Humboldt State University}}</ref> These compounds are detectable at concentrations of about 2 parts per million.<!--<ref>"<cite>The molecules are detectable at concentrations of ~2 parts per million.</cite>" "<cite>butyl seleno-mercaptan (C4H9SeH). This is a natural molecule, produced by skunks.</cite>" [http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryfaqs/f/blsmell.htm What Is the Worst Smelling Chemical?]</ref>—>
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Breeding usually takes place in early spring. Female skunks are induced ovulators, which means that the male skunk mounts the female from behind and bites her on the back of the neck and back, which induces the female's ovulation. Females excavate a den ready for between one and four young to be born in May. The male plays no part in raising the young and may even kill them. A common scene in late spring and summer is a mother skunk followed by a line of her kits. By late July or early August the young disperse. When the young skunks meet again, they raise their tails vertically. After a little posturing they start to rub against each other, often rolling around in what appears to be an embrace. Older skunks seem less friendly to the young kits.
 
  
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==Skunk Control==
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[[Image:SkunkMuskChem.png|500px|center]]
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As a skunk's odor is universally considered to be offensive, people living in areas known to be inhabited by skunks are advised to take certain precautions to prevent skunks from taking up residence where they are not wanted. As skunks commonly make their dens in wood or junk piles, it is recommended that these be kept to a minimum. Skunks are scavengers and frequently go after garbage. Garbage should be stored in tightly sealed cans.  
 
  
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Another common method of discouraging skunks is to use a general purpose pesticide on the grounds to reduce the occurrence of the insects upon which skunks feed. This method has its weak points though. By aiming at skunks indirectly the impact on the above mentioned grounds and their insect population is huge.
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==Bites==
  
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A fence extending one or two feet into the ground is sufficient to prevent skunks from making a den underneath a house or other structure.
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{{Refimprovesect|date=September 2008}}
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If a skunk should take up residence under the building, bags filled with mothballs or washcloths drenched with ammonia can be used to encourage skunks to leave. Securing a rope to the bag or cloth will make removal easy later on. Flour or other non-toxic white powder can be sprinkled around the den entrance to track foot prints. One should check for fresh foot prints from the skunk leading out, but not going back in. It is better to check in the morning as the skunks will be more likely to be active at night.
 
  
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After all the skunks have left, one should then block up any entrances that the skunk may have used along with the entrance to the skunk's den. If it is suspected that there are more skunks living in the den, a door should be constructed at the den's entrance that is hinged at the top, and extends approximately six inches (15 cm) beyond the entrance. It should be placed at a right angle to the direction of travel and should not be air tight. This can be an effective technique as it allows the skunks to exit their den, but makes it difficult for them to get back in.
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The [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] recorded 1,494 cases of [[rabies]] in skunks in the United States for the year 2006—about 21.5% of reported cases in all species. <ref>{{cite journal|journal=Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association| volume=231| issue=4 | year=2007 | title=Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2006 | author=Blanton J.D., Hanlon C.A., Rupprecht C.E. | pages=543}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/docs/rabies_surveillance_us_2006.pdf  | title=Rabies Surveillance US 2006 | publisher=U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention}}</ref> Skunks trail raccoons as vectors of rabies, although this varies regionally (raccoons dominate along the Atlantic coast and eastern Gulf of Mexico, skunks throughout the Midwest and down to the western Gulf, and in California). Despite this prevalence, all recorded cases of human rabies from 1990–2002 are attributed by the CDC to dogs or bats.
  
 
==Domestication==
 
==Domestication==
 
{{main|Pet skunk}}
 
{{main|Pet skunk}}
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{{globalize|USA}}
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{{globalize|section}}
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[[Pet skunk|Domesticated skunk]]s can legally be kept as [[pet]]s in certain U.S. states. ''Mephitis mephitis'', the striped skunk species, is the most social skunk and the one most commonly domesticated. When the skunk is kept as a pet, the scent gland is removed. Typical life spans for domesticated skunks are considerably longer than for wild skunks, often reaching 10 years, though it is not unusual for a well cared for skunk to live well past 20 years. Some skunks were reported by European settlers in America as being kept as pets by certain [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]]. The [[Pilgrims]] are said to have kept skunks as pets.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
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[[Image:Striped skunk Freddy.jpg|thumb|A domesticated skunk.]]
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[[Pet skunk|Domesticated skunks]] can legally be kept as [[pet]]s in the UK. However, the [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/pdf/ukpga_20060045_en.pdf Animal Welfare Act 2006] has made it illegal to remove their scent glands (it is considered to be a cosmetic operation), thus making them impractical as pets. Owners have been known to dump skunks in the wild when they discover that vets will no longer perform the operation to remove their scent glands.<ref>[http://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/news_index/display.var.2435207.0.escaped_skunk_causes_a_stink.php Craven Herald, August 2008]</ref>
  
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==Folklore==
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The keeping of skunks as pets is legal only in certain U.S. states. ''Mephitis mephitis'', the striped skunk species, is the most social skunk and the one most commonly domesticated. When the skunk is kept as a pet, the scent gland is removed. Typical life spans for domesticated skunks are considerably longer than for wild skunks, often reaching 10 years, though it is not unusual for a well cared skunk to live well past 20 years.
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===The Legend of the Skunk Ape===
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Believed to dwell within the swamps and Everglades of Florida, the Skunk Ape, described to resemble Bigfoot, stands upright on two feet reaching a height of about 7 ft and weighing approximately 300 lb. Although it has been claimed that Bigfoot's odor is quite offensive, the difference between Bigfoot and the Skunk Ape lie in the more pungent odor of the Skunk Ape, who is said to smell like a concoction of skunk, rotten eggs, and cow manure. This evasive creature has been sighted on many occasions dating back 200 years, usually by campers, loggers, drivers, hunters, hikers, etc.  There was a wave of sightings during the 1970s, 75 reported sightings alone in the last 20 years, however, as time passed the number of reported sightings declined. It wasn't until the turn of the century that a group of people on a guided tour of a swamp area claimed to have seen a large, hairy, ape-like creature walking along the banks of the swamp. Despite the number of claimed sightings, however, the rangers who regularly patrol the area have yet to sight any such creature. The best evidence for the existence of the Skunk Ape lie in the Myakka Skunk Ape photographs, which according to Loren Coleman, a noted cryptozoologist, who has analyzed the photos thoroughly, indicate that the creature in the photographs does have physical attributes characteristic of ape-like creatures (Wagner 2004).
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One problem with U.S. skunks kept as pets is genetic problems due to a lack of genetic diversity. The few breeders of skunks are using the same genetic stock (as none are allowed to be taken from the wild) that was available many decades ago, when skunks were bred for the fur trade instead of the pet trade. Many problems such as undescended testicles, epileptic seizures, etc. are often found with the domestic stock. Some skunks were reported by European settlers in America as being kept as pets by certain [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]]. The [[Pilgrims]] are said to have kept skunks as pets.<ref>[http://www.arkansasurbanwildlife.com/wildlife/skunks.aspx Skunk<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
  
 
==Classification==
 
==Classification==
Line 88: Line 95:
 
*** [[Striped Skunk]], ''Mephitis mephitis''
 
*** [[Striped Skunk]], ''Mephitis mephitis''
 
*** [[Hooded Skunk]], ''Mephitis macroura''
 
*** [[Hooded Skunk]], ''Mephitis macroura''
 +
*** [[Southern Spotted Skunk]], ''Spilogale angustifrons''
 
*** [[Western Spotted Skunk]], ''Spilogale gracilis''
 
*** [[Western Spotted Skunk]], ''Spilogale gracilis''
 
**** [[Channel Islands Spotted Skunk]], ''Spilogale gracilis amphiala''
 
**** [[Channel Islands Spotted Skunk]], ''Spilogale gracilis amphiala''
Line 97: Line 105:
 
*** [[Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk|Andes skunk]], ''Conepatus chinga''
 
*** [[Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk|Andes skunk]], ''Conepatus chinga''
 
*** [[Patagonian Skunk]], ''Conepatus humboldtii''
 
*** [[Patagonian Skunk]], ''Conepatus humboldtii''
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*** Indonesian or [[Javan Stink Badger]] (Teledu), ''Mydaus javanensis''
+
*** Indonesian or [[Javan Stink Badger]] (Teledu), ''Mydaus javanensis'' (sometimes included in [[Mustelidae]])
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*** [[Palawan Stink Badger]], ''Mydaus marchei''
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*** [[Palawan Stink Badger]], ''Mydaus marchei'' (sometimes included in [[Mustelidae]])
 
** Family [[Felidae]]: cats, 37 species
 
** Family [[Felidae]]: cats, 37 species
 
** Family [[Viverridae]]: civets and genets, 35 species
 
** Family [[Viverridae]]: civets and genets, 35 species
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** Family [[Hyaenidae]]: hyenas, 4 species
 
** Family [[Hyaenidae]]: hyenas, 4 species
  
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==See also==
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* [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Removal_of_Skunk_Odor Removal of Skunk Odor at Wikibooks]
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
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<references/>
  
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* Anderson, Dan. 2007. [http://dan.drydog.com/patsyann/skunk.html Deskunking dogs, cats, and other pets]. ''Removing the Scent of a Skunk from a Pet''. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
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== External links ==
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{{wikispecies|Mephitidae}}
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*Annotated Mythbusters (AM). 2004. [http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2004/09/mythbusters_solar_death_ray_sk.html Epidode 16: anciet death ray, skunks, what is bulletproof?]. ''Annotated Mythbusters''. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
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{{commonscat|Mephitidae}}
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* [http://www.dragoo.org Dragoo Institute for the Betterment of Skunks and Skunk Reputations]
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*Cerato, M., W. F. Andelt. 2007. [http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/natres/06500.html Coping with skunks]. ''Colorado State University Extension Natural Resources''. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
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* [http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/natres/06500.html Coping With Skunks]
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* [http://www.chastainvets.info/focus/fs_skunk.htm Krebaum Skunk Odor Eliminator]
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*Chastain Veterinary Medical Group. 2007. [http://www.chastainvets.info/focus/fs_skunk.htm Krebaum skunk odor eliminator]. ''Chastain Veterinary Medical Group''. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
 
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* Darwin, Charles. 1959. The voyage of the Beagle. New York: Harper. ISBN 0-14-043268-X
 
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* De-Scenting Pets (DSP). 2007. [http://education.vetmed.vt.edu/Curriculum/VM8054/Labs/Lab19/Deskunk.htm A sure fire method for de-scenting pets who’ve had a close encounter with a skunk]. ''A Formula to Remove the Scent''. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
 
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*Dragoo Institute for the Betterment of Skunks and Skunk Reputations (DIBSSR). 2007. [http://www.dragoo.org/ Basic biological information]. ''Dragoo Institute for the Betterment of Skunks and Skunk Reputations''. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
 
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* Dragoo, Jerry W, and Rodney L Honeycutt. 1997. Systematics of mustelid-like carnivores. ''Journal of Mammalogy''. 78 (2):426. ISSN 0022-2372
 
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*The Skunk Stripe. 2007. [http://fohn.net/skunk-pictures-facts/ Skunk pictures, facts, and much more]. ''The Skunk Stripe''. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
 
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*Wagner, Stephen. 2004. [http://paranormal.about.com/od/bigfootsasquatch/a/aa112204.htm Smelly Bigfoot: The Skunk Ape]. ''Paranormal phenomena''. Retrieved July 31, 2007.
 
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* Wood W. F., B. G. Sollers, G. A. Dragoo, and J. W. Dragoo. 2002. Volatile components in defensive spray of the hooded skunk, Mephitis macroura. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 28 (9):1865-70. ISSN 0098-0331
 
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Revision as of 18:09, 29 September 2008

For other uses, see Skunk (disambiguation).
Skunks
Striped skunk
Striped skunk
Conservation status
Status iucn3.1 LC.svg
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Caniformia
Superfamily: Musteloidea
Family: Mephitidae
Bonaparte, 1845
Genera

Conepatus
Mydaus
Mephitis (type)
Spilogale

Skunks (sometimes referred to as polecats) are mammals best known for their ability to excrete a strong, foul-smelling odor. General appearance ranges from breed to breed from black and white to brown or cream colored fur. They belong to the family Mephitidae[1][2] and to the order Carnivora. There are 11 species of skunks, which are divided into four genera: Mephitis (hooded and striped skunks, two species), Spilogale (spotted skunks, two species), Mydaus (stink badgers, two species), and Conepatus (hog-nosed skunks, five species). The two skunk species in the Mydaus genus inhabit Indonesia and the Philippines; all other skunks inhabit the Americas from Canada to central South America.

Skunks were formerly considered to be a subfamily of the Mustelidae family of weasels and related animals (where some taxonomists still place them), but recent genetic evidence shows that they are not as closely related to the Mustelidae as formerly thought.[2]

Physical description

Skunk species vary in size from about 15.6 to 37 inches (40 to 70 cm) and in weight from about 1.1 pounds (0.5 kg) (the spotted skunks) to 18 pounds (8.2 kg) (the hog-nosed skunks). They have a moderately elongated body with reasonably short, well-muscled legs, and long front claws for digging.

Although the most common fur color is black and white, some skunks are brown or gray, and a few are cream-colored. All skunks are striped, even from birth. They may have a single thick stripe across back and tail, two thinner stripes, or a series of white spots and broken stripes (in the case of the spotted skunk). Some also have stripes on their legs.

Diet

Skunks are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal material and changing their diet as the seasons change. They eat insects and larvae, earthworms, small rodents, lizards, salamanders, frogs, snakes, birds, moles, and eggs. They also commonly eat berries, roots, leaves, grasses, fungi, and nuts.

In settled areas, skunks also seek human garbage. Less often, skunks may be found acting as scavengers, eating bird and rodent carcasses left by cats or other animals. Pet owners, particularly those of cats, may experience a skunk finding its way into a garage or basement where pet food is kept.

Skunks are one of the primary predators of the honeybee, relying on their thick fur to protect them from stings. The skunk scratches at the front of the beehive and eats the guard bees that come out to investigate. Mother skunks are known to teach this to their young. A skunk family can virtually depopulate a healthy hive in just a few days.

Skunks tend to be gluttonous feeders. They gain weight quickly if their diet becomes too fatty.

Behavior

Skunks are crepuscular, and are solitary animals when not breeding, though in the colder parts of their range they may gather in communal dens for warmth. During the day they shelter in burrows that they dig with their powerful front claws, or in other man-made or natural hollows as the opportunity arises. Both sexes occupy overlapping home ranges through the greater part of the year; typically 2 to 4 km² for females, up to 20 km² for males.

Skunks do not hibernate in the winter. However, they do remain generally inactive and feed rarely. They often overwinter in a huddle of one male and multiple (as many as twelve) females. The same winter den is often repeatedly used.

Although they have excellent senses of smell and hearing — vital attributes in a crepuscular omnivore — they have poor vision. They cannot see objects more than about 3 metres away with any clarity, which makes them vulnerable to road traffic. Roughly half of all skunk deaths are caused by humans, as roadkill, or as a result of shooting and poisoning.[citation needed] They are short-lived animals: fewer than 10% survive for longer than three years.[citation needed]

Reproduction

File:Baby skunk.jpg
A baby striped skunk

Skunks typically mate in early spring and are a polygynous species, meaning that males usually mate with more than one female. Before giving birth (usually in May), the female will excavate a den to house her litter of four to seven kits. They are placental, with a gestation period of about 66 days.[citation needed]

When born, skunk kits are blind, deaf, and covered in a soft layer of fur. About three weeks after birth, their eyes open. The kits are weaned about two months after birth, but generally stay with their mother until they are ready to mate, at about one year of age.

The mother is very protective of her kits, and will often spray at any sign of danger. The male plays no part in raising the young and may even kill them. [citation needed]

Anal scent glands

The notorious feature of skunks is their anal scent glands, which they can use as a defensive weapon. They are similar to, though much more developed than, the glands found in species of the Mustelidae family. Skunks have two glands, one on either side of the anus, that produce a mixture of sulfur-containing chemicals (methyl and butyl thiols (mercaptans)) that has a highly offensive smell that can be described as a combination of the odors of rotten eggs, garlic and burnt rubber. The odor of the fluid is strong enough to ward off bears and other potential attackers, and can be difficult to remove from clothing. Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with high accuracy as far as 2 to 5 metres (7 to 15 ft). The smell aside, the spray can cause irritation and even temporary blindness, and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by even an insensitive human nose anywhere up to a mile downwind. Their chemical defense, though unusual, is effective, as illustrated by this extract from Charles Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle:

We saw also a couple of Zorrillos, or skunks—odious animals, which are far from uncommon. In general appearance the Zorrillo resembles a polecat, but it is rather larger, and much thicker in proportion. Conscious of its power, it roams by day about the open plain, and fears neither dog nor man. If a dog is urged to the attack, its courage is instantly checked by a few drops of the fetid oil, which brings on violent sickness and running at the nose. Whatever is once polluted by it, is for ever useless. Azara says the smell can be perceived at a league distant; more than once, when entering the harbour of Monte Video, the wind being off shore, we have perceived the odour on board the Beagle. Certain it is, that every animal most willingly makes room for the Zorrillo.[3]

Skunks are reluctant to use their smelly weapon, as they carry just enough of the chemical for five or six uses—about 15 cc—and require some ten days to produce another supply. Their bold black and white coloring however serves to make the skunk's appearance memorable. Where practical, it is to a skunk's advantage to simply warn a threatening creature off without expending scent: the black and white warning color aside, threatened skunks will go through an elaborate routine of hisses, foot stamping, and tail-high threat postures before resorting to the spray. Interestingly, skunks will not spray other skunks (with the exception of males in the mating season); though they fight over den space in autumn, they do so with tooth and claw.

The singular musk-spraying ability of the skunk has not escaped the attention of biologists: the names of the family and the most common genus (Mephitidae, Mephitis) mean "stench", and Spilogale putorius means "stinking spotted weasel". The word skunk is a corruption of an Abenaki name for them, segongw or segonku, which means "one who squirts" in the Algonquian dialect.

Most predatory animals of the Americas, such as wolves, foxes and badgers, seldom attack skunks—presumably out of fear of being sprayed. The exception is the great horned owl, the animal's only serious predator, which, like most birds, has a poor-to-nonexistent sense of smell.

Skunk spray is composed mainly of low molecular weight thiol compounds,[4] namely (E)-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, and 2-quinolinemethanethiol, as well as acetate thioesters of each of these.[5][6] These compounds are detectable at concentrations of about 2 parts per million.

SkunkMuskChem.png

Bites

{{#invoke:Message box|ambox}}

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 1,494 cases of rabies in skunks in the United States for the year 2006—about 21.5% of reported cases in all species. [7][8] Skunks trail raccoons as vectors of rabies, although this varies regionally (raccoons dominate along the Atlantic coast and eastern Gulf of Mexico, skunks throughout the Midwest and down to the western Gulf, and in California). Despite this prevalence, all recorded cases of human rabies from 1990–2002 are attributed by the CDC to dogs or bats.

Domestication

Globe icon The examples and perspective in this section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject.
Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.
A domesticated skunk.

Domesticated skunks can legally be kept as pets in the UK. However, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 has made it illegal to remove their scent glands (it is considered to be a cosmetic operation), thus making them impractical as pets. Owners have been known to dump skunks in the wild when they discover that vets will no longer perform the operation to remove their scent glands.[9]

The keeping of skunks as pets is legal only in certain U.S. states. Mephitis mephitis, the striped skunk species, is the most social skunk and the one most commonly domesticated. When the skunk is kept as a pet, the scent gland is removed. Typical life spans for domesticated skunks are considerably longer than for wild skunks, often reaching 10 years, though it is not unusual for a well cared skunk to live well past 20 years.

One problem with U.S. skunks kept as pets is genetic problems due to a lack of genetic diversity. The few breeders of skunks are using the same genetic stock (as none are allowed to be taken from the wild) that was available many decades ago, when skunks were bred for the fur trade instead of the pet trade. Many problems such as undescended testicles, epileptic seizures, etc. are often found with the domestic stock. Some skunks were reported by European settlers in America as being kept as pets by certain Native Americans. The Pilgrims are said to have kept skunks as pets.[10]

Classification

  • Order Carnivora
    • Family Canidae: dogs, 35 species
    • Family Ursidae: bears, 8 species
    • Family Procyonidae: raccoons, 19 species
    • Family Mustelidae: weasels and allies, 55 species
    • Family Ailuridae: red pandas, 1 species
    • Family Mephitidae
      • Striped Skunk, Mephitis mephitis
      • Hooded Skunk, Mephitis macroura
      • Southern Spotted Skunk, Spilogale angustifrons
      • Western Spotted Skunk, Spilogale gracilis
        • Channel Islands Spotted Skunk, Spilogale gracilis amphiala
      • Eastern Spotted Skunk, Spilogale putorius
      • Pygmy Spotted Skunk, Spilogale pygmaea
      • Western Hog-nosed Skunk, Conepatus mesoleucus
      • Eastern Hog-nosed Skunk, Conepatus leuconotus
      • Striped Hog-nosed Skunk, Conepatus semistriatus
      • Andes skunk, Conepatus chinga
      • Patagonian Skunk, Conepatus humboldtii
      • Indonesian or Javan Stink Badger (Teledu), Mydaus javanensis (sometimes included in Mustelidae)
      • Palawan Stink Badger, Mydaus marchei (sometimes included in Mustelidae)
    • Family Felidae: cats, 37 species
    • Family Viverridae: civets and genets, 35 species
    • Family Herpestidae: Mongooses, 35 species
    • Family Hyaenidae: hyenas, 4 species

See also

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  1. ↑ Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (2005). Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed). John Hopkins University Press. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dragoo and Honeycutt (1997). Systematics of Mustelid-like Carnvores. Journal of Mammalology 78 (2): 426–443.
  3. ↑ Darwin, Charles (1839). Voyage of the Beagle. ISBN 0-14-043268-X. Retrieved 2006-06-27. 
  4. ↑ "Skunk spray is composed mainly of low molecular weight thiol compounds." Note: Sure Fire Method for De-Scenting Pets Who've had a Close Encounter with a Skunk
  5. ↑ Wood W. F., Sollers B. G., Dragoo G. A., Dragoo J. W. (2002). Volatile Components in Defensive Spray of the Hooked Skunk, Mephitis macroura. Journal of Chemical Ecology 28 (9): 1865.
  6. ↑ William F. Wood. Chemistry of Skunk Spray. Dept. of Chemistry, Humboldt State University. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  7. ↑ Blanton J.D., Hanlon C.A., Rupprecht C.E. (2007). Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2006. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 231 (4): 543.
  8. ↑ Rabies Surveillance US 2006. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  9. ↑ Craven Herald, August 2008
  10. ↑ Skunk

External links

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