Coming Soon: Skunk Kits at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
August 02, 2013
Here's a peek behind the scenes at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park: two male Striped Skunk kits were born this summer! The little ones will stay in quarantine for about a month before going out on exhibit, just to make sure they stay healthy during their early development.
Photo credits: Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
Found commonly throughout North America, Striped Skunks are born hairless and with closed eyes. They open their eyes at around 22 days old, and nurse for about eight weeks. Young Skunks can spray at just eight days old. The awful-smelling secretion comes from glands under the tail, which are often removed in captivity to de-scent the animal. These omnivores are crepuscular (mostly active at dawn and dusk), and forage for a wide range of food: from plants to insects, eggs, small reptiles, and rodents. Their main predators are Great Horned Owls, which, unsurprisingly, have a very poor sense of smell.
See more photos after the fold.