The striped skunk (or Mephitis mephitis) is a small mammal found throughout North America, including southern Canada, the US and northern Mexico. It is a stocky animal with short legs, a broad build and bushy tail. Its narrow face has a pointed snout and small round ears. Striped skunks are covered in thick and coarse black and white fur and are named for their distinctive pattern: black fur with a white scalp that leads into two striped along their back and onto their tail. Male skunks are 38cm to 46cm long with a 33cm to 41cm long tail, and weigh 2kg to 5.5kg. Females are slightly smaller at 34cm to 41cm head-body length, a 30cm to 37cm long tail, and a weight of 1.8kg to 4.9kg.
Latin Name
Mephitis mephitis
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Animal Facts
Striped skunks do not hibernate, although those living in colder environments may enter a state of torpor during the winter in which they may lose up to 50% of their body weight.
The striped skunk can project foul-smelling liquid up to 3 metres, and the smell can linger for over 2 weeks.
Striped skunk spray contains sulphur compounds that give it its unpleasant rotten egg smell.
The striped skunk is immune to snake venom and is known to eat rattlesnakes.
The Latin name for the skunk is ‘Mephitis’, which comes from the name of Mefitis, the Samnite goddess of volcanoes and poisonous gases.
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