One remedy for skunk odor is 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide (from the pharmacy),1/4 cup baking soda, and 1 teaspoon liquid soap. Wash and rinse keeping away from eyes, nose, and mouth (Skunks). Another source suggests watered down bleach (Wheeler 1998).
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
Recently described as a separate species from the eastern spotted skunk because of differences in color pattern, cranial features, reproductive physiology, and breeding season; the western spotted skunk is neither endangered nor threatened. It is adapting readily to the new sources of food and habitats provided by civilization (Davis and Schmidley 1994).
US Federal List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
The skunk in general may be seen as a pest because of its affinity for making dens in human property combined with the foul smell it is capable of emitting. The fear that skunks carry rabies has shown to be no more worrisome than any other wild animal (Savage 1999). It is also known to nest in attics and steal turkey eggs from farmers (Davis and Schmidley 1994).
Skunks help keep down populations of animals such as rodents and grasshoppers which can be harmful to a farmer's crops (Savage 1999). They also eat scorpions, which may be useful to people by keeping down the population of this poisonous arthropod, especially since these skunk prefers to live near developed areas (Davis and Schmidley 1994). People have also begun descenting skunks and keeping them as pets because they are quite friendly and can be kitty litter trained (Skunks).
Skunks are omnivores. They enjoy eggs (wild or domestic, especially turkey eggs), young rabbits (Davis and Schmidley 1994), fruit and berries (Skunks), mice, voles, roots, and even arthropods such as grasshoppers (Savage 1999), and scorpions (Davis and Schmidley 1994).
S. gracilis inhabits the western half of the United States. Some taxonomists call the western spotted skunk a subspecies of S. gracilis and others consider it a separate species.(Whitaker 1980)
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )
The western spotted skunk prefers rocky bluffs and brush-bordered canyon stream beds. They make dens in rocky outcrops or hollow logs in the wild; however, they often live in close association with people, frequently nesting in rock fences or even attics (Davis and Schmidley 1994).
The western spotted skunk looks much like the eastern spotted skunk except that the white areas are more extensive. Both are relatively small and slender. They are black with a white spot on their forehead and in front of each ear. They have a pair of dorsolateral white stripes on the anterior portion of their bodies beginning at the back of their head, a pair of lateral stripes confluent with the spots in front of the skunk's ears, and a ventrolateral pair which begins just behind the forelegs. These cut off at mid-body and the posterior portion of the skunk's body has two interrupted white bands, a white spot on each side of the rump and two more at the base of the tail. The underside of the tail is white for nearly half its length and the tip is extensively white. The ears are short and low on the sides of the head. They have five toes on each foot but the claws on the front feet are more than twice as long as those on the back feet, sharp, and recurved. Males average 423mm in length (134 of that being tail) and 565 g in weight. Females average 360 mm (129 tail) and 368 g (Davis and Schmidley 1994).
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
The testes of adult and young males begin enlarging in March, producing sperm in May, and reach their peak by September. Females come into heat around in September and breeding begins. Most are bred by October when the formation of sperm is halted and the testes begin to regress again. The blastula stage of the embryo is free floating in the uterus for the first 180-200 days before implanting. Gestation usually lasts 210-230 days and litters ranging from 2-5 young are born in late April or May (Davis and Schmidley 1994). Baby skunks are called kits (Savage 1999). Young females become sexually mature at about 4 or 5 months of age and the cycle begins again (Davis and Schmidley 1994).
Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual
