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Baby skunks, called kits, can spray when they're just eight days old. That's around two weeks before their eyes open.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Skunks are nocturnal, which means they search for food and water at night.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Skunks mostly live in open areas and can thrive in many habitats, including forests and grassy plains.

Skunks mostly live in open areas and can thrive in many habitats, including forests and grassy plains.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.1 / 31 / 3Baby skunks, called kits, can spray when they're just eight days old. That's around two weeks before their eyes open.Baby skunks, called kits, can spray when they're just eight days old. That's around two weeks before their eyes open.Photograph by All Canada Photos / Alamy

Animals
Mammals

Common Name: Striped SkunkScientific Name: Mephitis mephitisType: MammalsDiet: OmnivoreGroup Name: SurfeitAverage Life Span In The Wild: 3 yearsSize: Head and body: 8 to 19 inches; tail: 5 to 15 inchesWeight: 7 ounces to 14 pounds

You may not have seen a skunk in your neighborhood, but you've probably smelled one. Their smelly spray, called musk, is not easy to ignore!

The spray, which comes from two glands near the base of the skunk’s tail, can hit a target 12 feet away. If you are lucky, you may get a warning before being sprayed. If threatened, skunks stamp their front feet, lift their tail, and growl. Some species of skunk even spring into a handstand before spraying, which puts the skunk's warning markings on full display. If the person or animal doesn’t retreat, the skunk aims the spray at the eyes, allowing the skunk to escape. The spray can remain on its target for days.

Skunks are most active at night. They sleep in dens lined with leaves during the day. Their favorite foods include fruit and plants, plus insects, bird eggs, small rodents, and birds. Birds like the great horned owl prey on skunks. Scientists believe it’s because the birds don’t have a very good sense of smell, which makes the skunk’s spray useless in an attack.