Fast facts: Skunks

Willy's Wilderness
Aug 10, 2022
1 min read

Updated: Jul 24

Maybe you’ve never seen a skunk, but you’ve most definitely smelled one. The foul-smelling spray emitted by striped skunks is a pretty good defense mechanism. The smell is so bad, most animals keep their distance. And you have to give skunks a pretty wide berth, because they can discharge that spray more than 10 feet and still hit their target. The smell travels even farther, sometimes miles away.

A skunk stands alert on green grass, showcasing its black fur with a prominent white stripe. The background is a blurred natural setting. — (Photo via Shutterstock)

If you find yourself on the receiving end of a skunk’s spray, don’t say you weren’t warned. Before unleashing their most potent weapon, skunks will lift their tails, stomp their feet, hiss and growl. If that’s not enough of a warning to get away, the skunk will turn around and lift its back legs before unleashing the spray.