Skunks are small furry animals about the size of your average cat. Skunks typically live alone but gather in groups during mating season, usually in February and early March in New York. Male skunks are bucks, females are does, and babies are kits.
Their black and white fur helps us identify these animals easily and warns other animals. Many skunks have black fur with white stripes, but depending on the species, their white fur can be a spotted or swirled pattern.
What skunks are most well-known for is their potent odor. When skunks become frightened and feel in danger, they spray a foul-smelling, oily substance from glands at the base of their tail.