Hobbies And Interests

Adaptation of Skunks to Urban Life

The four species of skunk in North America are the striped, spotted, hog nose and hooded. Like other wild animals, skunks are opportunistic and adaptable creatures that will take advantage of food and shelter in an urban environment. The skunk's normal predators are also absent in the urban landscape making it easier for them to adapt successfully.
  1. Shelter Adaptation

    • Skunks usually live in dens in hollow logs, under piles of brush or in dens previously occupied by other animals. The long claws on their front legs are excellent digging tools and they may even occupy old groundhog holes. In the urban environment skunks have adapted to den in man-made structures. This includes the crawl spaces under houses, beneath woodpiles, decks, sheds or concrete patios. They may enter garages and create a den in empty boxes or even under shelves.

    Food-Seeking Adaptation

    • The urban environment offers not only shelter but food. It makes sense that an animal prefers a ready meal rather foraging for one. For this reason skunks have adapted to finding food in garbage cans, composters, gardens and sheds. Skunks are intelligent and they have innovative ways of getting food. Pet skunk owners have witnessed their pets opening the refrigerator door. Skunks can be persistent when searching for food, and they are willing to pry and tear things open.

    Diet Adaptation

    • Skunks are omnivores and will eat almost anything. In the wild their natural diet consists of worms, grubs, eggs, root plants, frogs, snakes, mice, berries and even bees. In the urban environment, anything that humans eat or leave around would be appealing to a skunk, including leftovers and pet food. With their keen sense of smell urban skunks can dig up lawns for grubs, leaving their trademark divots. Urban lawns attract grubs and worms because they are well tended and fertilized.

    Urban Predators

    • Skunks' natural predators include coyotes, mountain lions, owls and foxes. They are not aggressive creatures but will become so if defending their young or cornered. If threatened, a skunk lifts its tail, growls and stamps the ground. As a last resort, it will spray its sulphur compound scent at its enemy. In the urban environment, that enemy is most likely a large dog. Another danger for skunks in the urban landscape are cars, which frequently run them over.


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