The world of wildlife is surprisingly beautiful and unusual. It contains many beautiful animals. One of them is the skunk. This animal is a small predatory mammal. The gait of a skunk is very unusual. To take a step, he first arches his back, the tail moves to the side and makes a small jump, that is, the movement is carried out skipping.
Where does the skunk live? It can be found in zoos, but quite rarely. After all, employees and visitors would have to wear protective masks. A defensive reaction in skunks involves the release of a strongly odorous substance. Acquaintance with this animal is best done in its natural conditions and at a sufficient distance.
Close relatives of skunks are ferrets, badgers, martens.
Description
Many mammals use odorous substances, but it was the skunks who were able to turn it into a powerful and effective weapon for their own defense.
Under the animal's tail there are two glands, through which a liquid with a strong unpleasant odor is ejected. In the air, the jet breaks up into small drops.
Such a "shot" can reach the target at a distance of up to four meters. so small animalcan do up to five times. After that, it takes some time to replenish.
The animal looks attractive. The body is strong, the paws are short with large claws. Males tend to be larger than females.
Where does the Mexican skunk live, a funny representative of the animal world? This question is asked by many, having learned about the existence of the animal.
Ingredients of skunk spray liquid
Nature endowed skunks with such a feature as protection by smell. The main active ingredient of the liquid is ethyl mercaptan, butyl mercaptan and other natural compounds that are present in the secretions of many mammals.
No matter where the skunk lives, the result is the same. All representatives of this species have secretions of a special "aroma" and durability. If the liquid of the animal gets on something, then even after long treatments and airing, the smell does not go away even after several months.
This protection makes the animal feel fearless and proud no matter how small it is. The skunk doesn't run away because it doesn't need to.
Habitat
Where does the skunk live? On what continent? The skunk is native to North America. They feed on insects, frogs, mice, lizards, destroy bird nests, do not disdain carrion, and, which is uncharacteristic for predators, love berries and fruits. Lots of exploring and playing. Densely populated areas are where the skunk lives. He loves to visit backyards and trash bins.
The shores of water bodies are the place whereskunk. The mainland is large, but the animals do not like to be too far from the watering place. But in the US, not everywhere there are places where the skunk lives. He does not live in Alaska or Hawaii.
This unusual animal prefers not to rise above 1800 meters above sea level. But some still climb into the mountains, to a height of up to 4000 meters. They prefer to exist in forests and meadows, next to people. Most of all they like bushes, rocky slopes and edges near rivers. Before hibernating, skunks prepare their homes by collecting dry leaves and grass.
Dry and inconspicuous places are chosen for the night. Often the animal chooses a hole that someone else dug earlier. Males hibernate separately, and females with cubs.
These animals destroy rodents, harmful insects. Sweet and attractive. It is not uncommon for people to keep skunks with their scent glands removed at home. Alas, they are prone to rabies.
In Italy, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and the USA, this animal is often kept at home, so we can say that Europe is another place where the skunk lives. In some places, these animals are protected by law, it is forbidden to sell them. In places where their purchase is allowed, skunks have their scent glands removed.
Types of skunks
There is more than one kind of skunk. Their color is the same, but each has distinctive features. Species:
1. Striped skunk. Weight up to 5.3 kg.
2. Spotted skunk. Dwarf species, weight up to 1 kg.
3. Pig-nosed skunk. The largest type. It is known that it can reach nine kilograms.
4. Smellyskunk.
Each of them has such an unusual remedy as a smell.
Striped skunk
This species is easy to distinguish. It has wide white stripes on its black back, from its head to the tip of its bushy tail. By weight it can reach 5.3 kg. During the summer, the animal accumulates a layer of fat and from November to March goes into underground burrows for hibernation. Nocturnal lifestyle. Before the attack, he makes a threatening pose and only then releases a jet. Liquid in contact with eyes causes temporary blindness. The smell is difficult to remove.
These animals have an affectionate nature and playfulness, for which they are appreciated.
Striped Skunk Locations
Skunk is an omnivore. Flat areas with tree plantations, grasslands, and farmland are areas where the striped skunk lives. As a rule, the animals choose sites located no further than three kilometers from the water. The mating season is from February to March.
Females are sociable, often living in a common hole. Pregnancy lasts up to 77 days. There are from 2 to 10 blind and deaf puppies in a litter. After 8 days, they may splash liquid for protection.
Baby skunks leave their mothers at about one year of age, after puberty. Males are polygamous, so they can mate with several females. They do not participate in the care and care of offspring. In captivity they can live up to 10 years, in natural conditions - less.
The main reason for the death of skunks is all kinds of diseases, including rabies. OftenAnimals die on freeways because they are slow and have poor eyesight. Despite their powerful defense, they are attacked by large predators, and the animals do not always manage to survive.
The place where the striped skunk lives - mainland America.
Food
The skunk is not able to catch fish or large prey, so it feeds on small rodents, frogs, etc. The animal is able to attack helpless rabbits. The rest of the menu depends on the season. In warm weather, it eats fruits, berries, seeds, vegetation.
Predator hunts mainly at night. The skunk has poor eyesight, so it uses hearing and smell to hunt.
The animal rolls some prey on the ground, but not just like that, but to eliminate the poisonous peel or prickly villi. Whatever the skunk catches, it eats it right away. Skunks are not averse to eating honey when they come across a hive, they eat all the contents, including honeycombs and bees.
Bee sting poses no threat to them, because thick wool provides protection from bites. Only the muzzle can suffer.
Home maintenance
If you keep a skunk at home, then you should follow the nutritional recommendations. Food should be non-spicy, uns alted, unsweetened, low-fat. Half of the diet should be vegetables and fruits. Boiled chicken, egg or fish are suitable for replenishing proteins. Rice, millet and other grains should always be in the diet. Skunks only eat natural foods. The farm brings a lotbenefits as it eliminates rodents and dangerous insects.
As already mentioned, America is the place where the skunk lives. The photos clearly show what the animals look like, demonstrating the distinctive features of the species. In Russia, back in Soviet times, they tried to acclimatize the animal, but the attempts were unsuccessful.
Skunks are amazing little animals that live in the wild. They are endowed with special protection and attractive appearance, as well as a wonderful character.
