Types
Skunks are best recognized as their cartoon counterpart, Pepé Le Pew. The primarily black body with bright white stripes makes the skunk an easily distinguishable animal in the wild. However, skunks can also be spotted, swirled, or mottled. Be aware that whether a skunk is striped or spotted, it still retains its most powerful feature, the stink.Defenses
Skunks aren’t out to spray their stink without cause on anything in their path. In fact, skunks will often go through several warning signals prior. Their stink is limited and can take up to 10 days to replenish itself if depleted. Like many other animals, skunks will hiss several times to let an aggressor know that it is invading the skunk’s space. If that doesn’t work, the skunk will then charge back and both at the aggressor to let them know they need to make some space. To continue to deter contact, skunks will give a good show. The skunk will continue to hiss and stomp its front legs until it feels like there is no other option but to defend itself with the stink. The skunk will then raise its tail and can spray a target up to 10 feet away. Skunks can do this because they have a gland under their tail that produces sulfuric compounds called thiols. Thiols are also oily, which is what causes the smell to stay for so long.
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