General Overview
The Mephitidae family includes skunks and stink badgers, a group of small to medium-sized carnivorous mammals best known for their powerful chemical defense system. Once classified within Mustelidae, mephitids are now recognized as a distinct family. They are native primarily to the Americas, with stink badgers occurring in parts of Southeast Asia. Mephitids play important ecological roles as insect predators and scavengers.
Appearance
Members of Mephitidae generally have:
- Stocky bodies with short legs
- Dense fur, often black with bold white stripes or spots that serve as warning coloration
- Bushy tails are frequently held erect when threatened.
- Small heads with short snouts
- Strong claws adapted for digging.
Body size ranges from the small spotted skunks (Spilogale) to the larger striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis).
Diet
Mephitids are omnivorous, with diets that typically include:
Their flexible diet allows them to thrive in a variety of environments, including human-modified landscapes.
Habitat
Mephitids occupy a wide range of habitats, such as:
- Forests
- Grasslands and prairies
- Deserts
- Wetlands
- Agricultural and suburban areas
They often use burrows, rock crevices, hollow logs, or abandoned dens for shelter. Many species readily adapt to living in close proximity to humans.
Behavior
Mephitids are primarily nocturnal and solitary outside the breeding season. They are famous for their defensive spraying behavior, ejecting a foul-smelling liquid from specialized anal scent glands with remarkable accuracy to deter predators. Before spraying, they often display warning signs, such as stamping their feet, raising their tail, hissing, or performing handstands (notably in spotted skunks).
Breeding occurs seasonally, with females raising the young alone. Mephitids are generally non-aggressive and rely on their chemical defense rather than speed or strength for protection.
