Skunks have stripes

On a large area from Canada to Northern Mexico there is a rather special animal, the locals call it striped skunks, the scientific name is Mephitis mephitis. These American skunks often live in the forest or on wide grasslands.

(Photo: lenzoo)

Those are quiet, seemingly gentle animals, always like to live close to each other. People see many skunks often share their " territory " together, and even share a lair. The cave of Mephitis mephitis mink lies in the ground, the cave has many "small rooms" and many entrances. Occasionally, skunks get into the cave by badgers, foxes, American pandas or other animals.

In the daytime they are in the cave beneath piles of wood or stone piles. Night is a good time for them to hunt. They wandered around looking for small animals, insects, bird eggs, scavengers and fruit to eat.

In winter they do not hibernate, but many children gather together in the cave. Maybe they realize that many of them are next to each other will be warmer. Although not hibernating, in this cold time skunks also become less active.

From February to March is the mating season of skunk Mephitis mephitis."The story of the room" is always carried out in the cave, not exposed to the world like many other animals. After the period of pregnancy from 59 to 77 days, the weasel mother born 1 litter has about 5-8 juveniles in the nest laying with leaves.

The appearance of this skunk is special:

Skunk feet (Photo: afip)

My body is strong, small head, small ears, short legs. The foot has 5 fingers, the fingers have claws. The coat is black, long, and stands out with a white stripe on the forehead. Two other white streaks spread from the back of the neck running down the sides; The tail has a little white fur, especially at the white end. My body is about 0.5m long; long tail about 0.4m; weighing about 6kg.

When skunks stomp their feet and growl means it is angry, it wants to warn that it is a bad smell because it has sweat glands that secrete a foul-smelling liquid.

These "gunners" can spray liquids farther than 6m, and spray correctly on the enemy's face within 3m, skunks always aim directly at the animal threatening themselves. That liquid is a powerful weapon because that smell will make the opponent temporarily stop breathing, if hit the eye can make the enemy see nothing for a while. However, they never use this odor to fight other rival skunks, but only to fight other enemies.

The coat with contrasting colors is as bold as if any of the meat hunters that had once been hit by rotten water would easily recognize the skunk and quickly move away.

Mephitis mephitis skunks are also dangerous to humans because they carry rabies, people can become infected with rabies virus when bitten , but they cannot become infected when they spray liquid into them.

(Photo: fcps.k12.va.us)