Striped Skunk

• People can smell it from as far as 1.6 km downwind, and it is used only as a last resort, after an elaborate warning display.
• It eats insects, small vertebrates, fruit and carrion.
• It lives in woodland, grassland and towns across much of North America.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)

Habitat and environment

Woodland, grassland and towns across much of North America

Birth weight

32-35 g at birth, its markings already visible before birth

Size at birth

32-35 g at birth

Sexual maturity

10 months

Gestation / incubation

59-77 days, with up to 19 days of delayed implantation

Litter / clutch size

2 to 10 young per litter (average 6-7)

Life expectancy in captivity

Documented record of up to 10 years

Sources consulted: Animal Diversity Web; Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department; BioKIDS; Smithsonian National Zoo; Squam Lakes Natural Science Center; Animalia.bio