Mephitis mephitis (Schreber, 1776)
Striped Skunk
CLASSIFICATION
Main Group: Animal
Sublevel 1: Vertebrate
Sublevel 2: Mammal
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Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mephitidae
Genus: Mephitis
Species: Mephitis mephitis
STATUS IN NEW ENGLAND
Origin: Native
Invasive, Pest, or Pathogen?: No
Rarity Designations: None
BIOLOGY/ECOLOGY
Feeding Type: Heterotroph
HABITAT
PHOTOS OF Mephitis mephitis
In a suburban backyard; bird feeder (post) and bird bath visible in the background.
Essex County, MA
Date: 2015-09-28
In a suburban backyard
Essex County, MA
Date: 2016-02-01
In a suburban backyard
Essex County, MA
Date: 2015-09-01
In a suburban backyard
Essex County, MA
Date: 2015-09-21
In a suburban backyard
Essex County, MA
Date: 2015-09-22
In a suburban backyard
Essex County, MA
Date: 2015-09-22
In a suburban backyard
Essex County, MA
Date: 2015-12-16
Backside of a skunk. Its tail is held high in a defensive position.
Essex County, MA
Date: 2015-08-17
Skunk with a gray fox. The skunk's tail is held high and forward in a defensive display.
Essex County, MA
Date: 2015-08-17
Skunk in a standoff with the gray fox. Note the skunk's tail in a defensive posture.
Essex County, MA
Date: 2015-08-17
Skunk doing a handstand (a threatening display/warning). Upon seeing this display the gray fox immediately started running away (the blur of the running fox is visible in the center back of the photo). After coming down from the handstand, the skunk charged after the fox.
Essex County, MA
Date: 2015-08-17