Get too close to a skunk, and it will spray you with a noxious mix of sulphuric thiols, the chemicals in raw onions that make you cry.The spray doesn't just stink: it chokes your lungs and causes temporary blindness, allowing the skunk to get away.The scent is produced in anal glands at the base of the tail, and is fired through nipples attached to the glands. Impressive muscle control allows skunks to target their enemy's face at a distance of over 2m.Without this deterrent, the slow-moving skunks would be unable to escape from predators.