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About Long Island Skunks
Biology
The skunk is an animal everyone knows about. They are most famous for their defense mechanism they implement when they feel threatened and that is releasing a foul smell from their posterior. The most common Suffolk County skunk is called striped skunk. Its Latin name is Mephitis mephitis. Skunks are the members of the biological family of weasels.
Appearance
Skunks are primarily black animals. They have two white stripes that run along their whole body. These animals come in various lengths. Usually, a skunk’s length will range anywhere from 15 inches to 37 inches. Skunks weigh from 1 pound to 18 pounds, depending on their length and diet. The body length of a skunk is pretty much similar to the body length of a domestic cat. Skunks have muscular legs that feature long claws on their front paws. Although most of the New York skunks come in black and white, there are skunks that come in a gray or brown color. There are also cream-colored skunks, but those skunks are extremely rare.
Diet
Skunks are animals that can eat anything they want. This means they are omnivorous animals. Skunks often change their diet plan according to the time of the year. During the time of spring, skunks have the best appetite. In the spring time, skunks love to eat insects and bugs. Skunks are also fond of eating moles, birds, frogs, lizards, and rodents. Other animals hate skunks because skunks are known to invade other animal’s dens and nests and eat eggs. Besides eating animals, skunks also have a tendency to eat various nuts, berries, fruits, and plants. Skunks that live near rivers or ponds are fond of eating fungi and algae. Skunks which live in urban areas have a different diet. Their diet relies on the human diet so they forage through people’s trash cans in the search of food. Skunks also love invading homes which are abundant in food. The worst part about having a skunk in your home is that these animals aren’t afraid of humans at all.
Behavior
Skunks are introverted and solitary animals. They only spend time with other Suffolk County skunks during their mating season for the mating purposes. However, skunks that live in colder parts of the United States can be seen living in groups because they keep themselves warm that way by sharing their den with other skunks. Skunks are known worldwide for their unique defense mechanism which involves the release of a foul smell from a special gland located near their anus.
Habitat
Skunks dig dens and burrows with their extremely sharp claws. During the day, skunks stay in their dens. When the nightfall occurs, skunks leave their dens in the search of food. Skunks are also nomadic animals and they don’t live in one area for a long time. During the winter, some skunks enter a pseudo-hibernation state. If you wonder why skunks only hunt at night, it is because they have a very poor sense of sight. However, they have an excellent sense of smell and hearing.
Life Cycle
Skunks mate from February to March. Once a female skunk gets pregnant, she will give birth to her litter two months after mating. A female New York skunk will usually give birth to six baby skunks. Every skunk baby is deaf and blind at birth. Baby skunks remain in the den with their mom for two months. After that, they leave the den together with their mom and live besides her for a year. More precisely, a young skunk will live with its mother until it is ready to mate.
Go back to the Wildlife Removal Suffolk County NY home page.
The skunk is an animal everyone knows about. They are most famous for their defense mechanism they implement when they feel threatened and that is releasing a foul smell from their posterior. The most common Suffolk County skunk is called striped skunk. Its Latin name is Mephitis mephitis. Skunks are the members of the biological family of weasels.
Appearance
Skunks are primarily black animals. They have two white stripes that run along their whole body. These animals come in various lengths. Usually, a skunk’s length will range anywhere from 15 inches to 37 inches. Skunks weigh from 1 pound to 18 pounds, depending on their length and diet. The body length of a skunk is pretty much similar to the body length of a domestic cat. Skunks have muscular legs that feature long claws on their front paws. Although most of the New York skunks come in black and white, there are skunks that come in a gray or brown color. There are also cream-colored skunks, but those skunks are extremely rare.
Diet
Skunks are animals that can eat anything they want. This means they are omnivorous animals. Skunks often change their diet plan according to the time of the year. During the time of spring, skunks have the best appetite. In the spring time, skunks love to eat insects and bugs. Skunks are also fond of eating moles, birds, frogs, lizards, and rodents. Other animals hate skunks because skunks are known to invade other animal’s dens and nests and eat eggs. Besides eating animals, skunks also have a tendency to eat various nuts, berries, fruits, and plants. Skunks that live near rivers or ponds are fond of eating fungi and algae. Skunks which live in urban areas have a different diet. Their diet relies on the human diet so they forage through people’s trash cans in the search of food. Skunks also love invading homes which are abundant in food. The worst part about having a skunk in your home is that these animals aren’t afraid of humans at all.
Behavior
Skunks are introverted and solitary animals. They only spend time with other Suffolk County skunks during their mating season for the mating purposes. However, skunks that live in colder parts of the United States can be seen living in groups because they keep themselves warm that way by sharing their den with other skunks. Skunks are known worldwide for their unique defense mechanism which involves the release of a foul smell from a special gland located near their anus.
Habitat
Skunks dig dens and burrows with their extremely sharp claws. During the day, skunks stay in their dens. When the nightfall occurs, skunks leave their dens in the search of food. Skunks are also nomadic animals and they don’t live in one area for a long time. During the winter, some skunks enter a pseudo-hibernation state. If you wonder why skunks only hunt at night, it is because they have a very poor sense of sight. However, they have an excellent sense of smell and hearing.
Life Cycle
Skunks mate from February to March. Once a female skunk gets pregnant, she will give birth to her litter two months after mating. A female New York skunk will usually give birth to six baby skunks. Every skunk baby is deaf and blind at birth. Baby skunks remain in the den with their mom for two months. After that, they leave the den together with their mom and live besides her for a year. More precisely, a young skunk will live with its mother until it is ready to mate.
Go back to the Wildlife Removal Suffolk County NY home page.