Ace Hardware's Wildlife Spotlight: Skunk Mephitis

Skunks are mammals, usually with black and white fur, that are best known for their ability to excrete a strong, foul-smelling odor. Skunks were formerly considered to be a subfamily of the Mustelidae family of weasels and related animals (where some taxonomists still place them), but recent genetic evidence shows that they are not as closely related to the Mustelidae as formerly thought. Although the most common fur color is black and white, some skunks are brown or gray, and a few are cream-colored. All skunks are striped, even from birth.

Claim to fame: Some skunks were reported by European settlers in America as being kept as pets by certain Native Americans. The Pilgrims are said to have kept skunks as pets.

What they eat: Berries, roots, leaves, grasses, fungi, nuts, rodents, lizards, frogs, snakes, human garbage.

Range: North America, Central America, South America, Europe and Indonesia.

Where to see them: Most wooded areas and deserts.

Source: Wikipedia