Let's Learn about Skunks

Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul-smelling odor. General appearance ranges from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora. There are 10 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, four 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 classified as a subfamily within the family Mustelidae, which includes ferrets, weasels, otters, badgers, and relatives. However, recent genetic evidence suggests that the skunks are not as closely related to the mustelids as previously thought; they are now classified in their own family.

The Hooded Skunk (Mephitis macroura) is a species of mammal in the family Mephitidae. It can be distinguished from the similar Striped Skunk (M. mephitis) by its longer tail and longer, softer coat of fur. A ruff of white fur around its neck gives the animal its common name. It is generally more white dorsally, and black ventrally, but two color variants exist. One type has an all-white back, while the other has a black back with two white longitudinal stripes.

The Hooded Skunk ranges from the Southwestern United States to Central America, but is most abundant in Mexico. It is found in grasslands, desert, and in the foothills of mountains, avoiding high elevations. It tends to live near a water source, such as a river.

The diet of the Hooded Skunk consists mostly of vegetation, especially prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), but it will readily consume insects and small rodents as well. It shelters in a burrow or a nest of thick plant cover during the day and is active at night. Its breeding season is in the late winter and the female bears an average litter of three young.

The Western Spotted Skunk (Spilogale gracilis) is a spotted skunk found throughout the western United States, northern Mexico, and southwestern British Columbia. With a total length of , the Western Spotted Skunk is smaller than the Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis). Their habitat is mixed woodlands, open areas, and farmlands. They ascend to scare predators. They spray by standing on their forelegs and raising their hindlegs and tail in the air.

The spotted skunks are three species of Skunk in the genus Spilogale.

The Eastern Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius) is smaller and more weasel-like than the striped skunk. Both species are nocturnal and crepuscular. The spotted skunks are faster and more agile than the striped skunks and they have better pelts. For the last 100 years, the Eastern Spotted Skunk was bred for its fine silky fur. The furs and pelts were sold as "Marten Fur."

Jerry Dragoo, in a 1997 paper co-authored by Rodney L. Honeycutt of Texas, named the new family classification Mephitidae after mephitis, the Latin word for a foul gas or smell.

The spotted skunks weigh between 1 and 3 pounds. They are black with a white spot on the forehead and interrupted white stripes over their backs and sides that give the appearance of spots.

They are often incorrectly called a "civet cat"—a member of the genet family (Viverridae) with a long banded tail similar to a raccoon's—the two are not closely related.

The hog-nosed skunks belong to the genus Conepatus and are members of the family Mephitidae (skunks). They are native to the Americas.