MAMMALS: OTTERS, WEASELS, AND SKUNKS

Striped Skunk, Mephitis mephitis

Family Mephitidae (Skunks)

Size: 22" with tail

Range: Throughout Colorado

Habitat: Woodlands, brush, suburban parks; usually near a water source

The striped skunk is known primarily for its ability to elude danger by spraying a noxious fluid from an anal duct. A stocky, weasel-like mammal, it has a long, bushy tail and long front claws for digging. Its color is black, with broad white stripes running down its sides that merge into a white stripe on the upper part of the tail. Usually solitary, striped skunks stay in dens during the day and forage at night. Being omnivorous, they eat a wide variety of foods including fruit, nuts, insects, small mammals, and eggs.