Skunk

__**Appearance**__
Have you ever seen a skunk? Well, if you find one, do not go near it. How you tell that you have found one? If the creature has dark fur with a white strip down its back and over its head it is probably a skunk. A skunk will have sharp teeth. Under the skunks tail there are two glands so if it lifts its tail run away. A skunks way is 2-10 kilograms and is 13-18 inches. You may find a skunk that looks different, but it still is a a skunk,remember...there are different types of skunks so stay away from all of them.

__**Habitat**__
A skunk's habitat is a tight space.The tight space makes it feel safe.

A skunk sleeps in a hole or a hollow log.

Most skunks are common in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, and Central America.

You wouldn't find a skunk in the day because skunks are night animals.

__**Diet**__
Skunks are night eaters. Skunks dig up lawns for food because there are bugs and critters.

Skunks eat plants and small animals but I will list them latter.

Skunks also look for insects for food.

Skunks eat things like caterpillars, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, mice, rats, eggs, fruit, grain, and dead rotting animals.

Skunks sure have a big appetite.

__**Predators**__
Surprisingly, Skunks don't have many predators because they spray musk, which comes from two glands that are under the skunks tail. A skunk's predators will only eat him if they are really hungry. The skunks predators are...bobcats, Great Horned Owls, cougars, coyotes, badgers, foxes, hawks, and eagles. Skunks do not have many predators.

__**Offspring**__
The offspring of a skunk are quit like the offspring of other animals because of all these reasons. Most female skunks give birth two four or five babies at a time. The mothers have their babies in early April or May.

When the babies are born they are stinky, blind, hairless, and do not have any teeth.

In two months the babies will stop drinking milk and they will go hunting with mama. In three weeks the babies will be able to see, and in six their fur is fully grown.

By now you are probably thinking of a very ugly creature, but it may be cute!



__**Adaptations**__
For hundreds of years the skunk has adapted to hide and protect himself from the dangers of life. A skunk has a stinky way to protect himself. He lifts up his tail sprays a stinky stuff called musk comes from two glands under its tail.

you might think that the markings don't do anything but the distinctive black and white markings help it blend in with the night.

A skunk will sleep in the day and eat and hunt in the night. That means a skunk is nocturnal. This helps because most of a skunks predators are not nocturnal so he has more chance of living.

A skunk has very interesting adaptations.

__**Cool Facts**__
Skunks sure are amazing because of all these reasons. A skunk will give two warnings by stamping it's feet and hissing or growling. Small skunks will make a good pet if glands are removed so when the glands are removed it won't spray. A skunk will make enough musk for five sprays per week. When the musk is sprayed at the animal or human it will burn there eyes and their nose. It is amazing that a skunk will help farmers by eating bugs and tiny rodents which eat crops. Skunks sure are cool.

References @http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/kids/animal-facts/striped_skunk.asp @http://www.aitc.sk.ca/saskschools/animals/skunk.html Nault,William H. __World Book Encyclopedia Vol 17__.Toronto:World Book, Inc.,1996. Mattern, Jounny.__Skunks Are Night Animals__. Milwaukee:Weekly Reader Early Learning Library, 2007.