the uniform subfamily of the skunks or skunks belongs altogether 3 types with together 9 types: 1. Strip-skunks or Canada-skunks (Mephitis) with two types; - 2. Stain-skunks (Spilogale) with a type; - 3. White-trunk-skunks (Conepatus) with six types.
Shape The shape of the skunks is clumsy marten-good. On both sides of the anus, they possess pigeon-ah-big Stinkdrüsen, that leads densely into the anus behind the sphincter. The fur of the animals is long-haired, bushy and in the reason-coloring black with strongly standing out white drawing in form of stains or strips, whose education is very variable. A long, bushy tail, that is high-put in arousal, adorns the backside and as one "flower-bouquet" surges over the animal. The skunks are widespread over the entire American doubles-continent.
Way of life All skunks are twilight, and night-animals, that so to speak inviolably, however, thanks to their "scent-weapon" feared in the whole animal-empire - also on occasion during the day roams. its habitat is the relaxed bush-forest and the prairie. Stain-skunks prefer also stony semi-deserts and deserts. Always, however, skunks avoid forests dense. They are regular to find also in the proximity of human settlements without being able to regard however as Kulturfolger. They live sociably normally, and only the adult males become shortly at the combination-time to loners. Most skunks are living ground-inhabitants in solid precincts place-scatters. Merely the stain-skunk, who is able to climb fairly, is in tree-caves at times, that lie over the ground up to 10 meters. Here, one can frequently observe several animals asleep in a nest together.
The remaining skunks live in myself-dug Erdhöhlen, that it pad soft with plant-material. Just as gladly as myself-dug Erdhöhlen, they live in skunk the holes of other types of animal, with which often it together, however in separate residential-kettles, a cave-installation uses. The precinct, the changes as well as the cave-entrances mark them skunk with excrement. Skunks don't hold any real hibernation like the bears and badgers but usually to several individuals in a residential-kettle an interrupted winter-silence.
Nutrition As omnivores, skunks from most diverse plant-food and from all sorts of invertebrates and rodents live until approximately rabbit-size. On the food-search, the animals trot on the ground in measured run with the nose and recognize also its loot with her. Rarely, one sees it in faster movement, that then works quite awkwardly. On this occasion only the somewhat more agile stain-skunks, that can climb moderately and therefore move some nimble one(s), do an exception. Although the skunks can swim, they go only unwillingly and in the most outer emergency into the water. Since they also take in fish gladly, however, they lash out these at bear-type with a front-paw from the water. There is hardly an animal within the stated size, that the skunk spurns as food, and it proves to be extraordinarily resistant on that occasion against poisons, Z. B. from snakes, bees or wasps.
Enemies, Stinkdrüsen The skunk hardly has natural enemies besides the human being and some gripping-birds, particularly owls (they cannot smell). it owes this to its Stinkdrüsen, that are responsible also for its Namensgebung. Admittedly, all martens of more or less well trained anus-glands possess; however only is these so well trained (Stinkdachs, polecat, Zorilla) with few representatives of the family. The skunks furthermore still have the remarkable ability, the glandular-secretion, to splash over approximately four meters accurately into the face of the opponent. The skunks only share this quality the polecats of very similar Zorillas and the Stinkdachsen with this otherwise.
Already with approximately 5 life-weeks, the young skunks possess the anus-bags, that contain a still odorless secretion for the moment. With approximately 7 weeks, this secretion begins to already stink so badly, however, that is many victims so bad after a "fire" still for days, that they must vomit continuously.
Adult skunks quite immediately don't make use of its weapon but first threaten an opponent, in that they turn the back to it and upwards-direct the tail steeply. If this doesn't yet work sufficiently repulsively, they still turn off its opposite the head and show its teeth. Simultaneously, they put its anus-bags from. Only when all this Drohgesten of no effect show, they splash a thin ray of the secretion in high bow forth. Into the direction of the ray, they influence only through the strength of the pressure from the two somewhat of each other moved glands. If the first secretion-shot remains without effect, several further one(s) can follow within shortest time, that aimed no more in turn however so, meets like the first.
The effect of the glandular-secretion on unscathed skin on the extremely unpleasant smell alone is based. If however, it reaches on mucous membranes (nose, mouth) or even into the eyes, it can cause vehement, long prolonged pains and even to the temporary blindness can lead. The scent even is liable some days without essentially losing intensity.
Reproduction The combination-time of the skunks goes down February and March in North America in the months; in South America into the midsummer. The combination comes after one neck-bite in the side-situation and lasts between one and 20 minutes. The Tragzeit supposedly even amounts to approximately 50-77 days, as well with some white-nose-skunks, in the northern spread-area with strip-skunks with stain-skunks until 250 days. Normally, the Fähe brings a throw per year to the world on average with 3-5 bare, blind boys. Don't come highly the first throw falling into the late spring, a second is possible against end July after renewed combination. After 10-20 days, the fur-formation starts with the boys, and between it 20. and 30. Meet, they open the eyes. The Fähe suckles its puppies, who leave the nest after approximately 35 days the first time, for 6-8 weeks. The sexually mature happens with the young skunks after 10-11 months. Strip-skunks reach an old of approximately 7 years.
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