Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnivorans)
- FamilyMephitidae (Skunks and Stink-badgers)
- GenusMephitis (Striped and Hooded Skunks)
- SpeciesMephitis mephitis (Striped Skunk)
About the Striped Skunk
The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is a skunk of the genus Mephitis that occurs across much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN on account of its wide range and ability to adapt to human-modified environments.
Striped skunks are polygamous omnivores with few natural predators, save for birds of prey. Striped skunks are mostly nocturnal. Like all skunks, they possess highly developed musk-filled scent glands to ward off predators. They have a long history of association with humans, having been trapped and captively bred for their fur and kept as pets. The striped skunk is one of the most recognizable of North America's animals, and is a popular figure in cartoons and children's books.
The striped skunk was first formally named by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber as Viverra mephitis. The type locality is in eastern Canada. The earliest fossil finds attributable to Mephitis were found in the Broadwater site in Nebraska, dating back to the early Pleistocene less than 1.8 million years ago. By the late Pleistocene (70,000–14,500 years ago), the striped... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Hooded Skunk
Mephitis macroura
Common Hog-nosed Skunk
Conepatus leuconotus
Desert Spotted Skunk
Spilogale leucoparia
Coyote
Canis latrans
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
White-nosed Coati
Nasua narica
Mountain Lion
Puma concolor
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
American Badger
Taxidea taxus
Ringtail
Bassariscus astutus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 12 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Wood Buffalo National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 14 | Voyageurs National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 17 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 18 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 19 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 20 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 21 | Jasper National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 22 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Striped Skunk in Saguaro National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Striped Skunk sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Striped Skunk in Saguaro National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Striped Skunk in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.