ENVIRONMENT
WHAT IS SKUNK SPRAY?
How and why these furry critters create such stinky odours
WORDS SCOTT DUTFIELD
Cougars are one of many large predators that threaten skunks
Most animals have some sort of natural defence against the many threats found in the wild, such as a potent poison, a pair of sharp claws or the ability to blend into the background. For the skunk, however, it’s the emission of a foul-smelling spray that can be ejected over a distance of up to 4.5 metres. There are 12 species of skunks found in the world, ten of which live in the Western Hemisphere – predominantly between North and South America – and two species called stink badgers found throughout