Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
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Most people appreciate the fact that the Striped Skunk is nocturnal and therefore unlikely to be encountered on a daytime visit to the HPG. The faint telltale odor is all that a perceptive visitor might occasionally notice, but there has so far never been a full-scale aroma attack. The young skunk pictured above was seen behind an Austin shopping center early in the morning. Its immaturity probably led it to be out and about past the safety of darkness.
Skunks spend the day in burrows, which often look too small to accommodate the girth of the animal's body. This deception is easily explained by the fact that the skunk's beautiful fur is so thick and luxuriant that it makes the animal look far bigger than it really is. When a skunk is threatened, it raises its fur to compound the illusion. Skunks only spray as a last resort.
Because many animals are aware of the power of a skunk's scent, they avoid attacking. Birds, however, have a very poor sense of smell and one of the main predators of skunks, especially smaller ones, is the great horned owl.
class: Mammalia / order: Carnivora / family: Mustelidae / genus: Mephitis / species: mephitis
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