Flower was acquired June 15, 1999 .  Flower's mother  was hit by a car and killed, leaving the 9 babies alone in their den.  When the babies started to starve they emerged from their den and ate the first thing they saw, a poisoned bush.  Eight of the nine babies died, only Flower survived and not without problems.  The damage caused by the poisoning left Flower with a form of  epilepsy.  A seizuring skunk is not a good candidate for release into the wild so Flower was deemed un-releasable.  She was put on medication and has been de-scented in order to give her a higher quality of life in captivity.

Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

Dining and Dwelling

This mostly nocturnal and solitary animal has a highly variable diet.  The skunk hunts by scent.  Insects make up 70% of its diet, small rodents, rabbits, birds and eggs, carrion, fruit and vegetables making up the remaining 30%.

The striped skunk prefers areas of mixed woods, grasslands and open prairies.  It is usually found close to water.  The skunk is also commonly found in mixed agricultural and tree cleared areas.  They thrive in the suburban landscape.

Life and Death

The striped skunk has few natural predators, thanks to its noxious vapour.  Their main predator is the great-horned owl.  These birds of prey are indifferent to the effects of the spray. The most common cause of mortality in the skunk population is disease.  They are susceptible to pneumonia, distemper, and are one of the most common vectors of rabies, which is not transmitted through their spray.

This solitary animal will breed in February-March and has a littler of 1-10 kits (usually 4-6).  These kits are born 59-77 days later.  This variation is due to the ability to delay the implantation of the egg.  The kits are weaned at 2 months, and their colour patterns are recognizable from birth.  Their firing capacity begins as early as 8 days old, but they are unable to aim until their eyes open at approximately 24 days old.  The over wintering mortality rate of the young is as high as 90%, although the survivors are capable of mating at 10 months. 

That's Amazing

• The striped skunk was commonly bred for the fur industry in the early 1900’s. The white fur was removed and only the black fur was sold. Skunk fur coats were more commonly known as “sable”.
• Around the same time, the skunk became a popular pet, frequently called a “Sachet Kitten”.  It is now illegal to own a pet skunk in Ontario.
•  Skunks are resistant to snake venom and can survive 10X the amount needed to kill another animal of a similar size.