Hello, Adventurers! Welcome back to the Coastal Expeditions blog! If this is your first time visiting our blog, we’re happy to have you here. We are all about nature, adventure, and making the most out of the beautiful outdoors of South Carolina. If you enjoy all things hiking, paddling, kayaking, and spending time outdoors, you’ve come to the right place! Here on the blog, we dive deep into different habitats, excursions, conservation efforts, and nature programs. Our site is filled with interactive maps, destination guides, and educational resources. Since the weather is incredibly warm, we want to help you get out there and take advantage of all that the Lowcountry has to offer! We offer guided tours of the beautiful Lowcountry by kayak, paddleboard, ferry, boat, and private charter. We also have hands-on workshops taught by highly-trained guides on wilderness skills, birding, identifying native plants, sustainability, and camping. Anything you want to learn about, we teach! If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take a look around our site to learn more about our offerings. In our last post, we discussed some of the most common poisonous plants, how to spot them, and how to recognize symptoms. Today, we’ll be taking a look at some of our furry friends in the Lowcountry: Skunks! Although skunks get a bit of a bad reputation for being smelly, we think they are pretty interesting critters. If you are interested in learning more about skunks, you’re in the right place. Let’s get started!

Skunks are mammals from the family Mephitidae, which comprises both skunks and stink badgers. There are currently 10 living species of skunk and they can be found throughout the United States, Canada, South America, and Mexico. In general, skunks have small, stout bodies with short legs. They vary in size from about 15 to 37 inches and their weight can vary by species. For example, spotted skunks tend to weigh anywhere from a little over a pound to 4 pounds, while long-nosed skunks can weigh up to 18 pounds. Although their legs are on the shorter side, they are muscular and their feet are equipped with sharp claws for digging. Most commonly, skunks are black and white. When you think of a skunk, you probably think of black fur with a single white stripe down the middle. This is correct, however, different species can have different coloring. For example, some skunks can be brown, gray, or even cream-colored! 

Here in South Carolina, two species of skunk can be found: The striped skunk and the spotted skunk. Let’s take a look at the difference between the two.

The striped skunk has coarse fur that is mostly black in color with two parallel white stripes running up its back. These stripes join at the neck, and the amount of white in the fur can vary, with some skunks being almost completely black or almost completely white. This is the skunk that is most easily recognized by people. Striped skunks stand at about 6 inches from the shoulder and weigh anywhere from 3 to 8 pounds, with males being larger than females. They have a life span of approximately 2 to 4 years. Striped skunks are common throughout the United States– In fact, they can be found in all 48 contiguous states! They can be found in both rural and suburban areas. In South Carolina, they are most common in the Piedmont. 

The spotted skunk has a distinctive, contrasting black and white fur pattern. They have 4 to 6 white stripes that start near the head and break up into spots towards the backend of the body. Spotted skunks weigh 1 to 4 pounds, making them smaller than striped skunks, with a life span of 2 to 6 years. They cannot be found in New England or the north-central states. This species can be found in the highlands of the Palmetto state, but they are less common. 

Both striped and spotted skunks make use of a variety of habitats, including forested areas, grasslands, semi-open farmland, and old, abandoned fields. Generally, skunks tend to live in areas that are no more than two miles away from water. They can often be found around farms and have a habit of creating dens under farm buildings and homes.  When in forested areas, skunks create dens out of rock piles and beneath the roots of trees that have been toppled over. They may also den under logs, under decks or porches, and other secluded areas. Skunks use underground dens for resting, hiding, and birthing. With their sharp claws, they can dig their own dens, but they generally use burrows that have been abandoned by other animals. 

Skunks are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. Since they do most of their living in the nighttime, their eyes can see much better in the dark than in the daylight. However, their eyesight isn’t all that great– They cannot see fine details, and can only see what is right in front of them, up to 10 feet. Baby skunks are born blind and don’t develop their eyesight until they are around 3 weeks old! Because their vision isn’t the best, skunks heavily rely on other senses, such as smell, hearing, and touch to navigate their surroundings. 

When it comes to diet, skunks are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. Insects are generally their preferred food, such as grasshoppers, beetles, and crickets. However, they will also eat small mammals, such as mice, nestling birds, and reptiles. In fact, having skunks around can be a good thing, as they will often eat “pests”, which can be a positive thing for your backyard! In the summer months, skunks may eat fruits, berries, and grains to supplement their diet. 

Perhaps what skunks are best known for is their smell. In fact, you will probably smell a skunk before you see one! Skunks generally do not bother humans, as they are fairly shy animals. Their smell is their way of warding off predators, or anything that they feel is a threat to them. In most instances, before they let off their smell, a skunk will stomp their feet. If that’s not enough, they will utilize the two glands located on either side of their anus. The spray that the glands possess is known as thiol, which is an organic compound mainly composed of sulfur. Sulfur is an easily recognized smell that can be compared to that of rotten eggs, making the skunk’s spray extremely pungent! The spray can be smelled up to half a mile away. Interestingly enough, skunks only carry enough of their chemical spray for five to six uses. After that, it takes about 10 days to replenish their supply! When a striped skunk is ready to spray, they will form a “U” shape with their body by bending to the side with all four feet on the ground, keeping their head and tail aimed at their attacker. When it comes to spotted skunks, they are able to balance on their front feet, arching their back up and over their head. Skunks have a pretty impressive aim– They can usually accurately spray their target up to 10 feet away. 

As mentioned before, skunks are fairly shy animals and do not generally bother humans. With that being said, if you happen to encounter a skunk, try to avoid startling them. Do not make any sudden movements or sounds. Remember, they only spray when they feel threatened, so if you stay away from them, they should leave you alone. As with any wild animal, respect their space and do not approach them. 

Skunks are pretty cool animals, and we hope you enjoyed learning about them! We encourage you to safely explore the beauty of the Lowcountry, so be sure to check out our current tours and trips! We hope you found this article informative! As always, we thank you for reading and we hope to see you back on our blog soon. If you have any questions about our guided tours, reach out to us! At Coastal Expeditions, we are committed to introducing people to the wonders of the ecosystems of the Charleston area by providing guided tours and educational opportunities. If you’re looking to explore all that the Lowcountry has to offer, check out our offerings on our website to find the adventure which suits you best! We also offer kid-friendly tours as well as kids’ programs, camps, and kayak lessons. Our tours are led by knowledgeable, approachable naturalists and sea captains who are eager to answer your questions! Until next time, readers. Get out there and explore! Adventure awaits!