Dining and Dwelling
This mostly nocturnal and solitary animal has a very variable diet. The skunk hunts by scent. Insects make up 70% of it's 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 found commonly in mixed agricultural and tree cleared land. They thrive in the suburban landscape.
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Life and Death
The Striped Skunk has few natural predators, thanks to its poisonous vapor. Their main predator is the great-horned owl. These birds of prey are immune 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 Striped Skunk kits are weaned at 2 months, and their color 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
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That's Amazing
-The Striped Skunk was commonly bred for the fur industry in the early 1900s. They removed the white fur and only sold the black fur more commonly known as Sable. -Around the same time, they became a popular pet, frequently called a Sachet Kitten. It is now illegal to own a pet skunk. -Skunks are resistant to snake venom and can survive 10X the amount needed to kill another animal of a similar size.
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