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Spotted Skunks Prefer Prairie, Brush, and Farmland for Habitat

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Spotted Skunks Prefer Prairie, Brush, and Farmland for Habitat Historic Range and Additional Species Information Have you seen me? Distribution in Wisconsin . Eastern Spotted Skunks prefer prairie, brush, and farmland for habitat. Though they prefer insects, Eastern Spotted Skunks, just like their striped relatives, are omnivorous and eat both plants Spotted skunk © Robby Heischman and small mammals. They’re scavengers and may feed on WANTED: carrion. EASTERN SPOTTED . When threatened, the Eastern SKUNK SIGHTINGS Spotted Skunk will stomp its The Eastern Spotted Skunk feet and stands on its front legs (Spilogale putorius) is a small releasing a foul smelling musk. mammal similar to the more well Historically, the Eastern Spotted . They mate in the winter and known Striped Skunk that was once Skunk was found in western and have young sometime in the common throughout much of the southwestern Wisconsin, however, late spring to summer. southeastern U.S. into the Great there has not been a confirmed Plains region. record for at least a decade. For More Information: Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative In the last few decades, its Study Group: populations have declined across https://easternspottedskunk.weebly.com/ much of its historic range. NatureServe Explorer: https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/EL We need your help to understand EMENT_GLOBAL.2.799633/Spilogale_pu this species, its decline and current torius status in Wisconsin. Questions and Comments Spotted skunk ©National Park Service Questions, comments, and concerns can be directed to: Wisconsin Department Natural Heritage Conservation Program [email protected] of Natural Resources Learn about more rare species in [email protected] 101 South Webster St. Wisconsin at dnr.wi.gov, keyword: NHC. [email protected] Madison, WI 53707 Similar Species How to Submit Sightings Current Distribution of the Eastern Spotted Skunks may be Have you seen an Eastern Spotted Eastern Spotted Skunk confused for their larger and much more Skunk? Report your observations, common relatives the Striped Skunk. here: Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) http://wiatri.net/NHI/ . Striped Skunks are noticeably https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ larger than the Eastern Spotted eastern-spotted-skunk-in-wisconsin Skunk at about 1.5-3 feet long and 4-13 pounds. **Photographic evidence is . While both Striped Skunks and necessary to confirm the report** the Eastern Spotted Skunk have Let us know if you have seen the black fur, the Striped Skunk has Eastern Spotted Skunk on trail two distinctive black stripes cams, as road kill, or in person. (NatureServe 2020) stretching from head to tail Location and date sighted are instead of marbled streaking of The Eastern Spotted Skunk may appreciated to further our the Spotted Skunk. have once been a common aspect understanding of the current of the Eastern U.S., but due to its . Striped Skunks have a narrow range of this species. drastic decline its now a rare sight stripe down their face and a and imperiled through much of its white tuft of fur on top of their Eastern Spotted Skunk historic range. heads. Physical Description . The Eastern Spotted Skunk is small, about 1-2 feet long and 1-4 pounds. They have broken up white streaking or marbling over black fur. Their tail is often black or white tipped. The Eastern Spotted Skunk has a distinctive white upside down triangle in the center of its forehead. Developed by Mace Drumright, UW-Madison.
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