(Bild lånad från: http://bugaboopest.com/)

As we are still waiting for our first meeting with a skunk we thought that we could get to know these little fellows a bit better.

Fast facts – The striped skunk

Average weight: 3.25 kg
Average length: 57.5 to 80 cm
Average lifespan: Up to 3 years in the wild and up to 15 years in captivity

With small, short legs, the skunk is very slow. Because they can’t out-run predators, they rely on their scent glands for security. These glands, which are about the size of a grape, secrete a foul-smelling, oily, yellow musk. The spray of a skunk can reach up to six meters and the foul odor is strong enough to be carried almost one kilometre by the wind.

At this time of the year the striped skunk tend to be a sleep most of the time so the likelyhood of meeting one is slim.

And! The skunk seem to be self aware of the repulsiveness of its own odor — it will not spray in confined spaces and or in their own dens.

Information taken from http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/kids – Thank you!