Term
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Definition
| animals remember the noxious odor |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What serves as a warning? |
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Definition
| bold black and white colors |
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Term
| How does the skunk avoid predators? |
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Definition
| odor memory; coloring; causes predators to detour around slow moving skunk |
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Term
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Definition
| they can get sprayed and tolerate the odor; they can get close enough to kill it |
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Term
| Where does the stink come from? |
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Definition
| nozzle-like ducts found in the scent glands located on ether side of the rectum |
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Term
| What is in a skunk's spray? |
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Definition
| The musky scent is an oily liquid that has an active sulphide ingredient called mercaptan |
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Term
| What if a skunk sprays someone's eyes? |
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Definition
| causes temporary blindness |
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Term
| How far can skunks spray? |
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Definition
| up to 12 feet by twisting their hind end toward the target |
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Term
| Describe a skunk preparing to spray. |
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Definition
~Warn enemy by drumming forefeet, snarling
~last resort is spray: lift tail and arch back |
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Term
| Can skunks spray with if you are holding them by the tail? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
black coat and bold white stripe OR
V mark over shoulders with two stripes
Stripes vary in length and width
Tail tipped white
All look alike-male, female and young |
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Term
| How large is an adult skunk? |
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Definition
two feet, including a 12 inch tail
Weigh up to 12 pounds |
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Term
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Definition
| Skunks are plantigrades, like racoons and bears, and the bottoms of their feet are hairless |
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Term
| Describe the feet of a skunk |
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Definition
~hairless
~long sharp claws for digging on small forefeet
~hind feet have shorter claws
~each foot has 5 toes
~they are not aquatic or semi-aquatic, but they have slightly webbed toes and can swim |
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Term
| Describe movement, senses, noises |
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Definition
slow movers and poor climbers
fair sense of smell/sight/hearing
excellent sense of touch
variety of sounds, like hissing, growling, squealing, cooing and churrings (like Wheezie!) |
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Term
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Definition
| striped skunk; most commonly found in PA; polecat is a common name |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Which skunk performs a handstand on its forefeet before spraying? |
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Definition
| spotted skunk; also puts body into a U shape pointing head and tail at the enemy before spraying |
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Term
| When do they hunt; what do they eat? |
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Definition
| Skunks are nocturnal omnivores; summer nights they eat insects like grasshoppers, bees,potato bugs, wasps, Japanese beetle grubs |
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Term
| What helps them dig? What do they dig? |
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Definition
| Claws; small, cone shaped holes signifies skunks feeding on soil grubs; also prey on spiders, lizards, snakes, toads, frogs, mice, chipmunks, eggs of turtles and birds |
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Term
| What do skunks eat in the fall and winter? |
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Definition
| wild grapes and cherries; grasses, leaves, buds, acorns; also carrion |
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Term
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Definition
| abandoned groundhog burrows; hollow wood or rock piles; under porches or buildings; |
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Term
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Definition
| no, they live off accumulated body fat; they den up and sleep for extended periods in the worst weather |
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Term
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Definition
| males leave their dens in late February/early March; breed once a year |
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Term
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Definition
~5-7 kits born
~blind, furless at birth
~pattern of black and white markings can be seen on skin
~scent glands function at three weeks
~leave den with mother at two months
~family disperses by fall; or following spring |
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Term
| How are skunks like ducks? |
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Definition
| they follow the mother in single file |
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