Skunks of Florida

Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius)

 Swampin Facts!

Skunks are native to the Americas, the striped and spotted skunk are 2 of 10 species of skunks in the world! Skunks were kept as pets by some Native American nations, and farmers valued skunks for their ability to kill rodents and other pests. Skunk Pelts were used for coats and often passed off as Marten Fur. In the 1950s, the fur was sold as American Sable and Alaskan Sable. Once courts ruled, people must be informed of the fur they were buying and wearing, the skunk fur market collapsed.

• Florida has two species of skunks, the striped skunk and the smaller spotted skunk.

• Skunks are omnivores and generally forage at night and eat plants, insects, worms, eggs, reptiles, and rodents.

• Skunks have excellent hearing and a great sense of smell; however, they have poor vision and can only see 3ft in front of them.

• Skunks can accurately spray the foul-smelling fluid 10 to 12 feet.

• There has not been a reported case of a domesticated skunk with Rabies since 1930!

• Predators - The most common predator of the skunk is the Great Horned Owl! The great horned owl's sense of smell is so poor that they are not affected by the skunk's stinky defense.

• Skunks are immune to a venomous snakes bite, and snakes are on the skunk's food menu!

Striped or Spotted? The striped skunk is the larger of the two and more terrestrial (roaming on the ground) while the spotted skunk is smaller, very agile, and tends to be more arboreal ( above ground or in trees). The appearance of the striped skunk is just like the name suggests with two stripes of white down its back, while the spotted has spots! The spotted skunk is known for its acrobatic handstand that is a warning to back off or be sprayed. Skunks will often STOMP their front feet as a warning while extending their bushy tail straight in the air!

*Skunks are amazing, but don't make the best pets! It is a MUST to research any animal that you plan to keep! In the State of Florida, you must obtain a license before you can have a skunk. It is also illegal to obtain a skunk from the wild to keep. This goes for much of our wildlife, so please let wild animals be wild.