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Of course everyone is familiar with the funny fellow, the skunk. Though, did you know that there were different species of skunk out there? Other than the striped skunk (the quintessential skunk which most of us think of) there is the Spotted Skunk (. No, it doesn’t have polka dots but the stripes are broken up, giving it a somewhat “spotty” appearance. (Hey, I didn’t make the names here people…)
Spotted Skunks (Spilogale putorius) are much smaller and almost resemble weasels more than skunks in some respects. They grow to be around 1-3 lbs but they still pack just as powerful of a punch – or stench – as the Striped Skunks do. Via Wikipedia:
“Two glands on the sides of the anus release the odorous oil through nipples. When threatened, the skunk turns its body into a U-shape with the head and anus facing the attacker. Muscles around the nipples of the scent gland aim them, giving the skunk great accuracy on targets up to 15 feet away.”
Blahhhhh. So gross! Nasty-ass odorous nipples…
That baby (first pic) is so freaking cute though, it almost makes up for it. Almost.
