University of Tennessee, Knoxville Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 8-1981 The cologE y and Natural History of the Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) in the Cades Cove Campground, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Deborah M. Goldsmith University of Tennessee - Knoxville Recommended Citation Goldsmith, Deborah M., "The cE ology and Natural History of the Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) in the Cades Cove Campground, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1981. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/3430 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Deborah M. Goldsmith entitled "The cE ology and Natural History of the Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) in the Cades Cove Campground, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Michael R. Pelton, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Arthur C. Echternacht, Boyd L. Dearden Accepted for the Council: Dixie L. Thompson Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official student records.) To the Graduate Counci l: I am submitting herewi th a thesi s written by Deborah M. Goldsmi th entitled 11The Ecology and Natural History of the Striped Skunk (Mephiti s mephiti s) in the Cades Cove Campground, Great Smoky Mountains Nat1onal Park, Tennessee ... I have exami ned the final copy of thi s thesi s for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in parti al fulfi ll­ ment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Sci ence, wi th a major in Ecology . � ��L-. .�o& �c. ., i�L. Pelton, MaJo�ofessor We have read thi s thesis recommend its acceptance : Accepted for the Counci l: �.J!JI V1ce Chancelfor Graduate Studies and Research THE ECOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY OF STRIPED SKUNKS • IN THE CADES COVE CAMPGROUND, GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, TENNESSEE A Thesis Presented for the Master of Science Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Deborah M. Goldsmith August 1981 3053783 ' ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study could not have been compl eted wi thout the he l p, support, and advice of many individual s. I would like to express my appreciati on to Dr. Mi chael R. Pel ton, Professor , Department of Forestry, Wildl ife and Fi sheries, for his guidance and support on this project. I would also like to thank the members of my commi ttee, Dr . Sandy {A. C. ) Echternacht, Associate Professor, Department of Zool ogy, and Dr. Boyd Dearden , Associate Professor , Department of Forestry , Wi ldl ife and Fi sheries. Grati tude is expressed to fel low graduate students and friends for helping in conducti ng fieldwork, as wel l as to the Park personnel. I would like to extend special thanks to Dr. James T. Tanner for hel ping wi th the population parameters ; to Don Wel ler for support , friendship and time throughout the project; to Carol Hom for long · hours in the field and for recruiting people to help in the field; and to all the others who assisted duri ng the study. I would al so like to acknowl edge the people wi th whom I shared the field station for their tol erance each time I was sprayed. i i ABSTRACT Thi s study was initiated to col l ect information on several aspects of skunk ecol ogy and natural history in a campground situation. The areas of skunk ecol ogy and behavior considered were population density, denning behavior, den site avai lability, acti vity behavior, and foraging behavior in the Cades Cove campground, GSMNP. Data col - lecti on for the study began in June 1979 and ended in August 1980. The skunk population within the 156 ha study area , which . incl uded the campground and picnic area , was estimated by mark­ recapture at 31 ± 4 skunks ; in late July and earl y August the skunk population temporari ly increased as the juveniles became independent and were caught more frequently. The estimated res ident population in the study area was higher than reported population estimates from agricultural and natural areas. The campground and picnic area appear to influence the size of the skunk popul ation by increa sing the availabi l ity of food and den sites. Thirty-three natural dens were located duri ng the course of this study. These dens fel l into 2 groups corresponding to the seasons , summer and fall. Summer dens tended to be above ground be located on wel l -drained shal low soils with steep slopes . Fal l dens tended to be below ground and be located on moderately to wel l drained soi ls with gentle slopes . Summer dens al so had wider entrances than fal l dens. Skunks switched from summer dens to fall dens by October in response to several factors : temperature , decreased food iii iv availability, physiological changes and possibly light in�ensity (Alesiuk and Stewart, 1962) . The drainage culverts in the campground were used as den sites by skunks from July through October. Of the 31 culverts in the camp­ ground, 20 were used as dens in 1979 and 25 were used as dens in 1980. Of the 11 culverts not used as dens in 1979, 9 were filled with water or debris and 2 were occupied by raccoons, while the 6 culverts not used as dens in 1980 were filled with debris. Culvert dens and natural dens were not used exclusively by 1 .skunk, but were used sequentially by several skunks. Five of the natural dens and all of the culvert dens were used sequentially by skunks during the study . The daily activity patterns of striped skunks using the camp­ ground· changed with season. In April and May, few skunks were observed in the campground . The number of skunks in the campground during the night increased in July and August in response to the increased avail­ ability of food and to the increased number of juveniles mature enough to accompany the females during foraging. During July and August, activity was bimodal with peaks at 2300 hrs. and 0130 hrs. The skunks· observed foraging before 2400 hrs . tended to tolerate people, while skunks observed foraging at 0130 hrs. tended to be cautious, avoiding people . By October, the number of skunks observed in the campground at night had decreased with activity being distributed throughout the night. Several factors influencing seasonal activity,were measured: cloud cover, temperature, precipitation , date , and time. Of these variables temperature accounted for the most variance in activity v levels of skunks in different months. Other variables that were not measured, such as light intensity and the number of campers in the campground, may explain more of the variance . TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION . 1 II . DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA 4 Location • ..•• •• . 4 Topography and Soils •• . 6 Climate •••.•. 6 Vegetation • • • • • • • • . 7 Fauna • • • • • . • 9 III. MATERIALS AND METHODS 10 Capture and Handling Techniques .•.• 10 Population Dynamics ••.•••.•.•••. 13 Seasonal and Daily Activity Patterns 13 Home Range • • • • • • . 16 Denning • . •.••• 17 IV . RESULTS AND DISCUSSION • 20 Trap Data o • • • o • . 20 External Morphology • o • 27 Pelage •••.•o ••o •• 36 Population Dynamics o • o ••••• • • • • 39 Seasonal and Daily Activity Patterns . 42 Human-Skunk·Interactions •••••. 46 Home Range and Territoriality • 47 Denning ••..•.•.•.••• . 54 • V 0 RESEARCH-MANAGH1ENT IMPLICATIONS 67 VI. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION .. 69 LITERATURE CITED . 73 VITA • • • . • . • • 77 • vi LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1. Cl imatic Data for Cades Cove , GSMNP, for 1979 and 1980 . • • 8 2. Number of Striped Skunks Captured by Month in the Cades Cove Campground Area , GSMNP, 1979 • . • • • . • . • • • 21 3. Number of Striped Skunks Captured by Month in the Cades Cove Campground Area , GSMNP, 1980 • • • • • • • • . 22 4. Trapping Success for Stri ped Skunks Captured in the Cades Cove Study Area , GSMNP, 1979 • . • . 23 5. Trapping Success for Stri ped Skunks Captured in the Cades Cove Campground Study Area , GSMNP, 1980. 24 6. Sex Ratios of Striped Skunks by Year Expressed as Ma les pe r Females in the Cades Cove Campground Study Area , GSMNP, 1979-1980 • . • • • . • . • . • . • . 25 7. External Measurements (cm) of Adult Ma le and Female Striped Skunks Captured in the Cades Cove Campground Study Area , GSMNP , 1979-1980 .•••••••. 28 8. External Measurements of Striped Skunks from 2 Different Populations Reported in the Literature • . • • • . • • 29 9. External Measurements(cm) of Juvenile Ma le and Female Striped Skunks Captured in the Cades Cove Campground Study Area , GSMNP, 1979-1 980 . • • • • • . • . • . • . • . 32 10. Average Monthly We ights( kg ) of Adult and Juvenile Striped Skunks Captured in the Cades Cove Campground Study Area , 1979-1 980 •.•.•••••.•••.. 34 11. Comparison of Body We ight Losses During the Wi nter in 4 Different Striped Skunk Populations • • • • • . • . 37 12. Numbers of Striped Skunks in Each of the 4 Color Patterns for Cades Cove Campground Study Area, GSMNP , 1979-1 980 • • • • • • • . • . • • • . • . • • • 38 13. Reported Densities of Stri ped Skunks in Various Habitats in the U. S. • . • • • . • • • . • • • • • . • . • 41 vii vi ii TABLE PAGE 14. A Summary of Movement Parameters of 11 Stri ped Skunks in the Cades Cove Campground Study Area, GSMNP, 1979-1 980 . • • • . • • • • • . • . • • • . • . • . • 49 15. Classification of Summer and Fall Dens Used by Skunks in the Cades Cove Campground Study Area, GSMNP , 1979-1 980 .