Gretchen Messersmith's Skunk Odor Removal Update Inside the World of a Skunk Biology of the Skunk Reveals Some Interesting Facts There is little doubt that skunks are not the human population's most favorite creatures in the animal kingdom. Despite their particularly odorous nature, skunks actually play a big role in Mother Nature. These little creatures, which are technically part of the weasel family, serve to keep pest populations down wherever they are found. The behaviors and diets of the average skunk prove they are an important part of the overall ecosystem - even if they are often an unwelcome part of it. Skunk Biology And Other Neat Facts Skunks come in four major varieties in North America - hooded, spotted, the rare hognosed and the ever popular striped. These creatures tend to be rather territorial, claiming as much as 40 acres to a single adult. Skunks typically have a lifespan that goes up to about 10 years, but most only live three years or less in the wild. Despite their smell, skunks move slow, they don't see terribly well and have few natural defenses against predators that are larger than they. The average striped skunk only grows to about 10 pounds on the high end of the scale. A mother skunk can have a single litter a year. The typical litter runs between four and six babies. Babies stay with their mothers from their birth in the spring or early summer until fall. Then they are expected to stake out their own territories and fend for themselves. They are considered mature at roughly a year. Thriving on a diet of bugs, insect larvae and small mammals, coupled with plant matter, skunks are considered valuable hunters of pests. They will eat everything from fruit and berries and trash to mice, worms and even bees and wasps. Considering their diverse diet of known human pests, they are often viewed as viable additions to the ecosystems in which they live. Although normally found in wooded areas, away from humans, these creatures do sometimes cover a territory that includes populated areas. When this is the case, it is not uncommon for people to find them rummaging through trash, compost bins or left out pet food. They are also known to burrow under houses to make their dens. Skunks have limited resources for defending themselves. Although they can take down small pray, they are not particularly fierce. When provoked, cornered or frightened, they will try to defend themselves. Their last line of defense involves spraying a chemical from glands in their hind ends. This chemical, known as N- bulymercaptan, is what gives skunks their distinct scent. Generally, skunks do not spray unless they have cause to do so. Their scent alone is enough to keep the list of their natural predators at adulthood quite short. Keeping Skunks At Bay Humans and skunks often share the same territory without ever really noticing each other. If skunks are a problem, humans can do their part to make sure these fairly docile and harmless creatures are kept at bay. The best ways to discourage them from coming near are all common sense notions. One of the biggest ways to keep them from entering personal property is to make sure there are no food sources around. This means covering trash, keeping pet and bird food up and sealed off and even closing off holes where they might burrow under a house. With a few simple steps, it is possible to make a skunk see there's no point coming near a dwelling. Since they do serve an important part in nature, it is often wise for humans to take a live-and-let-live approach with skunks. Smelly as they might be, skunks are pest-eating little biological wonders that are worth preserving where they roam.