The secretion is acrid enough to cause nausea and can produce severe burning and temporary blindness if it strikes the eyes. This pungent liquid is stored in two separate scent glands located on each side of the anus and can be squirted accurately at targets as far as 6 to 10 feet away as a self-defense mechanism. Both skunk species produce an oily, yellow sulfur-alcohol compound that contains sulfuric acid. Although originally considered members of the weasel family, recent genetic research has placed skunks into their own family Mephitidae. The Green Bay Packers won Super Bowls I and II, and the New York Jets won Super Bowl III.Two species of skunk are found in New York, the spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis) and the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), which is the species most commonly found around homes. So, even though we are now in January and heading into the teeth of winter, beware of that skunk who may just be attempting to cross the road at night. Males and females occupy overlapping home ranges through the greater part of the year, typically about 1.5 square miles for females and 7.7 square miles for males.Īlthough they have excellent senses of smell and hearing, skunks have poor vision, being unable to see objects more than about 10 feet away, making them vulnerable to death from collisions with automobiles. During the day, they shelter in burrows which they can dig with their powerful front claws. Skunks are solitary animals when not breeding, though in the colder parts of their range, they may gather in communal dens for warmth. Often, they use the same den repeatedly from year to year. Over winter, multiple females (as many as a dozen) huddle together, males often den alone. However, they remain generally inactive and feed rarely, going through a dormant stage. Skunks are not true hibernators in the winter, but do den up for extended periods of time. And if a hibernating creature wakes up too early, they can burn through their fat reserves far too quickly, and die. If an animal isn’t able to store up enough fat, or find enough food after it awakens, it may not survive. Spending a few months asleep may be a good way to get through the winter, but it’s not without its risks. This raises the question about how climate change is affecting hibernation, migration and other ways animals cope with the changing seasons. New studies have found that as the winter temperatures heat up due to climate change, chipmunks in these warmer areas are less likely to hibernate. They have to raise their body temperature periodically, slowly raising it when it becomes time to eat from caches they established during the previous year.īut recently, animals’ hibernation patterns themselves may be at risk. This gives them the ability to warm up more quickly in response to danger.Ĭhipmunks hibernate in their burrows, their heart rate declines and their body temperature lowers until it becomes as cold as the temperature in the burrow. During hibernation, bears don’t decrease their body temperature as much as some other hibernating species. They generally begin hibernating in September or October and emerge six to seven months later around April. Although hibernation always happens in winter, many different things can act as the actual trigger for animals to start, including temperature drops, decrease in food availability, changes in day length and hormone changes.īears enter their dens for hibernation based on changes in the weather. Usually, before hibernation, the animal has to increase its body fat to survive, which means eating much more than usual in the months leading up to winter. Many animals have to find or create that perfect, safe spot to bed down for months at a time, whether in a cave, a hollow tree, or a den dug into the ground. It can be a lot of work, getting ready to hibernate. Their body temperature decreases, their breathing slows, and their metabolic rate drops. Although there are various degrees and duration hibernation always involves certain changes for animals. But hibernation isn’t as simple as going to sleep for a couple of months. There are several ways that animals respond to winter: they migrate, adapt or hibernate. However, bears and bats are the most well-known. There are several animals that hibernate: skunks, bees, snakes, groundhogs and chipmunks. While growing up, I was told, by my grandfather, about the “seven sleepers.” Animals that “sleep” during the winter.
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