National Skunk Day Date in the current year: June 14, 2025

Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae, which also includes Asian stink badgers. There are ten extant skunk species, all of which are native to the Americas: Molina’s hog-nosed skunk, Humboldt’s hog-nosed skunk, American hog-nosed skunk, striped hog-nosed skunk, hooded skunk, striped skunk, southern spotted skunk, western spotted skunk, eastern spotted skunk, and pygmy spotted skunk.

Depending on the species, skunks can vary in size from 15.6 to 37 inches and in weight from 1.1 to 18 pounds. All skunk species are striped or spotted from birth, which serves as a warning coloration. Most are black and white, but some are brown, gray, or cream-colored. Thanks to their coloration, skunks are among the most recognizable animals in North America.

Skunks belong to the order Carnivora but are actually omnivorous. Their diet varies by season and may include insects (including honeybees), earthworms, larvae, rodents, moles, lizards, snakes, frogs, salamanders, birds, eggs, leaves, roots, berries, nuts, and fungi. Skunks living in populated areas may rummage through trash and steal pet food.

Skunks have a bit of a bad reputation because of their anal scent glands, which produce a foul-smelling spray used for defense. This spray contains sulfur compounds with an odor powerful enough to repel bears and other large predators. It can cause serious irritation and even temporary blindness.

Skunks can spray up to 10 feet. However, most skunks avoid spraying unless absolutely necessary. In many cases, their bold coloration is enough to warn off possible predators. Threatened skunks will give warning signs, such as hissing, stamping their feet, or raising their tails, before spraying as a last resort.

Skunks are generally not dangerous to humans because they are not aggressive and prefer to avoid conflict. As long as you avoid close contact with skunks and do not corner them, you should be safe from their spray. Another reason to avoid skunks is that they are one of the primary carriers of rabies in the wild in North America.

Seventeen US states allow keeping skunks as pets. In the US, pet skunks often have their anal glands surgically removed. However, in other countries where skunks can be kept as pets, such as the UK, removing their scent glands is illegal because it is considered unnecessary mutilation. The most common pet skunk is the striped skunk because it is social and easily tamed.

The exact origins of National Skunk Day are unclear, but animal welfare organizations have observed it since at least 2012. This day honors skunks and aims to raise awareness about these often-misunderstood creatures and promote their appreciation. On this day, various organizations, such as wildlife centers and zoos, host educational events and activities to highlight the ecological importance of skunks and dispel common misconceptions about them.