Eastern Spotted Skunk

• Before spraying, it stands on its front paws in an inverted V as a warning.
• Its gestation can stretch to 234 days through delayed implantation.
• It is one of the smallest skunks in North America.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)

Habitat and environment

Woodland, tall-grass prairie and rocky ground of the eastern United States, south-eastern Canada and north-eastern Mexico

Birth weight

9 - 9.5 grams

Size at birth

Blind and helpless at birth, already with the characteristic black and white markings

Sexual maturity

5 months

Gestation / incubation

50-65 days (possible delayed implantation can stretch the process to 234 days in all)

Litter / clutch size

2 to 9 young per litter (most commonly 4-5)

Life expectancy in captivity

Documented record of up to 10-10.5 years in captivity

Sources consulted: AnAge · Animal Diversity Web · Animalia.bio · Wikipedia · Texas Tech Mammals of Texas · Florida Wildlife Trappers

Best time: All year round in the eastern United States, at night; if it feels threatened it does a handstand on its front legs before spraying.

The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.