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Living Well with our Wild Neighbors
Skunks of Arizona

Arizona is home to 4 species of skunks – striped skunks and western spotted skunks are widely distributed through the US, while hooded and hog-nosed skunks are more common in Mexico and Central America, and barely enter the US in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. All 4 species defend themselves using a foul-smelling musk produced from anal glands. All 4 species are vectors of rabies.

Striped Skunks (Mephitis mephitis)

© C.C. Hass	© C.C. Hass

Striped skunks are widely distributed and common throughout the US, southern Canada and northern Mexico. In Arizona, they are found state-wide except for the lowest parts of the Sonoran desert, although they are found along the lower Colorado River. They are found in a wide variety of habitats, from desert scrub to pine forests, and are common in well-vegetated urban areas. Striped skunks are the size of a house cat, and can weigh up to 8 pounds, although most striped skunks in Arizona are 2-4 pounds. In the southern part of the state, they are active year-round, but they may hibernate for a month or more during the coldest parts of the year in the higher elevations of the northern part of Arizona. They eat almost anything, but their primary foods are beetles, grubs and other insects. They are voracious consumers of many insect pests, and can be beneficial to have around. Most striped skunks in Arizona are of the “broad-striped” variety, with wide stripes along the back that join behind the head and sometimes at the base of the tail. The stripes can be so wide that the black patch on the rump is not visible. The tail is usually a mixture of black and white, and is usually about the same length or slightly shorter than the length of the head and body.

Western Spotted Skunks (Spilogale gracilis)

© C.C. Hass

Western spotted skunks are widely distributed through the western US, including southern Canada and northern Mexico. A similar species, the eastern spotted skunk, lives in the eastern US. They are found state-wide in Arizona, in all habitats, although they seem to prefer rocky areas. They are the only skunk to be found in the low desert portions of southwestern Arizona. Our smallest skunks, they have been described by skunk-expert Dr. Jerry Dragoo as “barely more than a handful to the size of a squirrel.” They weigh ½ to 1 pound. Not actually spotted, they have 6 broken stripes, and a round or triangular patch between the eyes. They are more weasel-like than our other skunks, and also better tree climbers. They feed primarily on insects, but also small mammals, birds, and lizards, and occasionally fruit.

Hooded Skunks (Mephitis macroura)

© C.C. Hass	© C.C. Hass	© C.C. Hass
© C.C. Hass	© C.C. Hass

Hooded skunks are primarily tropical skunks that venture into the southeastern portion of Arizona. They are found in a variety of brushy and wooded habitats, from desert scrub to pine-oak forests. They are slightly smaller than striped skunks, and weigh 1-2 pounds. They are active year-round. Like the striped skunk, their primary foods and insects, but they will also eat fruits. They exhibit a variety of pelage patterns, from almost all black (with usually a small stripe around the elbow) to a solid white back (with a black hairs mixed in giving it a “salt-and-pepper” appearance). The most common variety has two stripes along the sides. The stripes start on the shoulders or below the ear (in contrast to the striped skunks, whose stripes start between the ears) and extend to the hips, but don’t join over the rump. Another pattern is all black with a white patch on the back of the neck. Occasionally animals will be seen with a combination of patterns, the most common of which is a white back with short stripes on the sides. The tail can be all black or all white, but is usually a combination of the two. The tail is as long or longer than the body, and they have a noticeable ruff of hair on the back of the neck (the “hood”). Their ears are slightly larger than those of striped skunks.

American Hog-nosed Skunks (Conepatus leuconotus)

© C.C. Hass

Hog-nosed skunks are primarily southern animals, with most species occurring in Mexico and South America. The American hog-nosed skunk lives along the southern border of the US, from Louisiana and Texas to Arizona, and north to southern Colorado and Oklahoma. They are found in a variety of habitats, from thorn-shrub to mesquite thickets to pine-oak forest. They are slightly larger than striped skunks, with a broad white stripe down their back, and a relatively short (compared to hooded and striped skunks) all-white tail. They have an elongated snout, with a naked nose pad that gives them somewhat of a hog-like appearance. They have very long claws on their front feet, and spend much of their time foraging by digging through the dirt. Their primary foods are insects, but they will also consume small mammals, reptiles, fruits, and anything else they cancatch.

For additional information, see these pages:

FAQ
Exclusion Devices
Rabies in Arizona Wildlife
Rabies Quarantine in Santa Cruz County