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Dear Scott:
You'd think that any animal as stinky as a skunk would want to slink away in shame and disguise
itself, but the exact opposite is true. And to understand skunks better, it helps to understand why
most other forest animals appear in far less flashier colors. It's not because raccoons, chipmunks
and other critters like being fashionably modest with their gray and brown fur coats--it's because
they need to survive. Their muted colors help them blend in easily with their surroundings and hide
from enemies.
Skunks, on the other hand, are a whole different matter--they have no need to fear predators
because predators are too busy fearing them! And the skunk's distinctive black and white colors
ensure that potential enemies make no mistake about who they're messin' with. A skunk literally
raises a BIG stink when defending itself--it sprays foul-smelling liquid musk from the scent glands
under its tail. As if the odor weren't bad enough, the oil can sting predators on impact. In most
cases, a confrontation doesn't even reach this point because the flash of a skunk's bright black
and white pattern is enough of a warning!
One predator, however, won't be stumped by skunks. It's the great horned owl, and it doesn't
give a hoot about the skunk's foul odor because it doesn't have a strong sense of smell. These owls
also have special membranes that slide across and protect their eyes from a skunk's burning liquid
musk. So you might say a skunk's defenses amount to a whole lot of "non-scents" for owls!
Signed,
Wendell
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