United States Skunk Species

Skunk is a mammal having black and white-colored strips around the body. There are numerous varieties of these small animals.

A skunk has a well-developed mechanism of defending itself from the apparent enemy threats. Upon perception of possible enemy attacks, a skunk releases a nasty scent that repels the attackers approaching prey. There are nine well-known skunk species in the United States.

Skunks are nocturnal. The vital habitat of skunks is desert. Apart from deserts, they live in forests, steep sides and gardens or backyards. The size of the skunks reaches to that of a house cat. Some of them may be smaller than cats. They are carnivorous as well as herbivorous. Skunks can eat fruits, grains, and seeds. Small insects and rodents are the common prey of skunks. Skunks usually eat larvae, moths, worms, rats, and mice. In America, following skunk species are widespread.



Striped Skunk

The striped skunk has a strip around the neck. Skunks have this streak by birth. They have black fur and a white line. The white spots near the eyes of skunks add to its beautiful look. The strip looks like a symbol V of the English alphabet. Every skunk belongs to this species has a similar strip around the body. They are smaller in size and rely on vegetables and insects as a source of food. Moreover, these live in the forest in small colonies.

Hooded Skunks

The skunk without a strip is called hooded species. They have grey fur instead of black. Hooded skunks also do not have white spots on the body. They can dwell in the mountainous region as well as forests. They have small, large size than lined skunks. Moreover, these skunks have long hair at the back of the neck; hence a hood is formed. Thus, they are known as hooded mammals.

Spotted Skunks

Many skunks have a white spot between eyes. In other words, a series of mixed strips present a look of spots around the back and body of skunks. These are the smallest mammals and reach the size of a squirrel. Spotted skunks live in the garden and near the food source. They can also move to live in deserts.

Hog-nosed Skunk

Hog-nosed skunk is mostly present in North America. These skunks also have a white stripe between the head and back of their bodies. These skunks have a thick but single piece. It covers the entire body. The tail of hog-nosed skunks is shorter as compared to other species. They hunt rodents for dietary needs.

Stink Badger

Stink Badger is falling under species of skunks. They are identical to hog-nosed skunks. However, there are specific differences between them. Stink badger may have many strips or a single thick spot. They have a short tail like a hog-nosed skunk. However, they prefer living in a peaceful pea environment away from human communities.

Finally, there are various species of skunks. They have identical features except for specific physical differences. The colored strips differ significantly from species to species. Skunks eat flesh as well as vegetables. They live in forests, mountains, deserts, and gardens. The common prey of skunks are insects and small rodents.


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