Click the image for a larger picture

Class Mammalia Order Carnivora Family Mustelidae

History and Biology:

Skunks are an American furbearing mammal belonging to the weasel family, Mustelidae. This family is known for its scent glands. There are five species of skunks found in the United States , but only three, the striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis ; the western spotted skunk, Spilogale gracilis ; and the eastern spotted skunk, Spilogale putorius are of widespread economic or public health importance. The remaining two species, the hooded skunk, Mephitis macroura and the hog-nosed skunk, Conepatus mesoleucus are only localized.

The striped skunk is found throughout the country except for the southwestern deserts. Western and eastern skunks are found throughout the United States except for the east coast and Great Lakes areas. Hooded and hog-nosed skunks are found in the Southwest and south into Mexico . They prefer wooded areas near stream banks and irrigation levees, but also frequent anthropogenic structures such as, under houses, porches, and steps, also, plenum spaces, road culverts, and in barns. They are good climbers and may find harborage in tree hollows.

The striped skunk is a cat-sized American mammal. It is mostly black and usually has white dorsally, in the form of two stripes from anterior to posterior. However, all black or nearly all black skunks have been reported.

The spotted skunk is black with white spots or short stripes. It is about half the size of the striped skunk. They are found in a variety of industrial, suburban, and rural habitats such as brushy areas, stream banks, rocky outcrops, culverts, storm drains, industrial storage yards, homes, barns, and farmyards.

Skunks prefer dens made by other animals or structures. Breeding is in early spring and litters are born in early summer of 2 to six young. Skunks may have a second litter in the fall. The odor of skunks may be strong or only faintly evident in and around the den.

Skunks are notorious for their scent glands, anal glands. These glands can eject a potent liquid for 6 to 10 feet. The secretion contains sulfur and urea (thiourea) and is acrid enough to cause nausea, burning of mucous membranes and temporary blindness if it strikes the eyes. Its persistent odor is remarkable. Skunks do not empty their anal glands and do not have to replenish the scent. They can continue to eject the odiferous material for many times over and over, so long as threatened.

Skunks are nocturnal and omnivorous and feed on insects, grubs, rodents, snakes, frogs, carrion, fruit, berries, nuts, mushrooms, eggs, nestlings, and human refuse.

Public Health Damage:

The notorious thiourea odor of skunks is irritating, nauseating, and obnoxious to humans and other animals. Skunks may be a reservoir for zoonotic diseases such as listeriosis, mastitis, distemper, Q-fever, histoplasmosis, microfilariasis, and rabies.

Structural Damage:

Skunks inhabit the dwellings of humans, industrial yards, and farming operations. Their odor can be inhibiting to the operations of these structures. Their scats and dietary remains can become an eyesore and odiferous. They can enlarge the dens and increase in numbers if not controlled and removed from anthropogenic structures.

Agricultural Damage:

Skunks may threaten the health of humans and livestock in the United States because they may be a reservoir for potentially transmittable disease to both humans and livestock such as, listeriosis, mastitis, distemper, Q-fever, histoplasmosis, microfilariasis, and rabies. They also may do damage by defacement of agricultural buildings and equipment with scats, dietary debris, and odor. Additionally, they do damage through the consumption and contamination of agricultural seed and grain products in the field, storage facilities, and wholesale and retail outlets.

Environmental Damage:

Because of its commensal relationship with humans and its potential for inquisitive investigations into structures and food supplies, the skunk is a constant public health and property damage problem. In nature, skunks feed on small mammals, birds, and eggs and may have a negative impact on their population richness and densities.

Economic Damage:

Economic damage from the skunk is difficult to assess when you consider the intangible costs of the impact of zoonotic diseases on the public health of humans, livestock, domestic animals, and wildlife. Additionally, it is also difficult to determine the real cost of equipment and structural damages from defacement. Also, there is a significant cost to American consumers and business from the consumption and contamination of seed, grain, fruits, nuts, and vegetables damaged by the skunk.

References:

Mallis, A. 1997. Handbook of Pest Control: The behavior, Life History, and Control of Household Pests, Eighth Edition. Mallis Handbook and Technical Training Company.