More PA wildlife information: Skunks are another nocturnal species that share our living space here in Pennsylvania.

A skunk’s stripes point to where their spray comes from — a common practice in stripes on animals that choose fight over flight. However, a skunk will go through various other acts before opting to spray an enemy — including stomping the ground and slapping their tail.

The smaller, spotted skunk even stands on its front paws and moves around in a type of dance before opting to actually spray. When they do spray, however, they can cover roughly 10 feet in distance.

The reason the skunk has such a noxious spray as a defense mechanism is their preference for movement at night. In the dark and on the ground, ambush attacks are more likely. The spray is a viable method of protection for skunks, who tend to be solitary creatures.

A skunk’s spray is highly flammable, similar to the thiols (sulfur-based compounds) found in onions and garlic.

In an interesting aside, roughly one in 1000 people cannot smell a skunk. This is because anosmia, an inability to smell one specific smell, is a recognized medical phenomenon.

Skunks are illegal to keep as pets in 33 states and Washington, D.C. However, the remaining states permit having a skunk as a pet, provided the owner follows the appropriate laws or has the necessary permits. Skunks are compared to dogs and cats — when they have been de-scented. They are curious and smart and tend to have unique personalities.

Skunks eat fruit, insects, worms, reptiles and rodents. They also eat honeybees, and they have been known to attack hives to get them.

A skunk can give birth to anywhere from 2 to 10 babies, which are called kits. A male skunk is a buck and a female is called a doe.

Skunks have poor eyesight but excellent hearing and sense of smell.

They can run 10 miles per hour. Typically, they live around three years in the wild. In captivity, they have been known to live up to 10 years.