Skunks

There are 2 species of skunks in Georgia, the Striped Skunk and the Eastern Spotted Skunk. Striped skunks are the most common skunks in Georgia. They are found in a wide variety of habitats including forests, agriculture lands, and urban areas. Skunks will dig their own burrows but will often seek shelter in abandoned burrows of other animals, hollowed out trees or stumps and even underneath buildings or homes. Skunks are mostly nocturnal (active at night), but can be seen during daylight hours when looking for food. They generally mate in late winter and early spring and have litters ranging from 2-10 with a gestation period of about 2 months. Male skunks are polygamous. It is common for groups of females to den together during the winter months. Skunks are omnivores and will eat a wide variety of plant, insect and meat foods, but really prefer insects and insect larvae. Skunks will face threats head on and make themselves look mean, but are probably most well-known for spraying a foul secretion from their anal glands up to 15'. The odor is very bad and can be detected up to a mile away. Skunks are often considered nuisances, especially when they choose to den underneath homes, digging in yards looking for insects, or simply the smell of their odor of being in the area. The health concerns associated with skunks are similar with raccoons with the more common concerns being rabies, canine distemper, intestinal parasites, roundworm, and leptospirosis.