I was sitting on a rock in the mountains of Big Bend National Park last month watching the setting sun when a skunk sauntered over, walked between my legs and sniffed my shoelaces. I froze, of course.

It’s skunk mating season. Perhaps you’ve caught a whiff of it in the air. Because sometimes love stinks. Two skunk species live in Washington and Idaho: the commonly encountered striped version and ...

Skunks aren’t exactly the most adored mammals in Southern California, but there's a cute reason why they should be on your radar: It’s baby season right now. That also means some changes in skunk ...

Skunk mating season brings increased movement, aggression, and spraying as males roam miles in search of females. Skunk spray is a powerful chemical defense based on sulfur compounds that cling to fur ...

Even though some nighttime temperatures are still below freezing, daytime temperatures are generally getting warmer, as is evidenced by lawns and fields. Grass is getting green, especially big tufts ...

DEAR JOAN: I was wondering if the seasonal and nocturnal behavior of skunks are habitual enough to be explained. Our dog has gotten sprayed as early as 9:30 at night, about two months ago. Then we ...

Rachael has a degree in Zoology from the University of Southampton, and specializes in animal behavior, evolution, palaeontology, and the environment. Rachael has a degree in Zoology from the ...

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today. Skunks aren’t exactly the most adored ...