Skunk

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/skunk

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Family: Mephitidae
2. What is the conservation status?Least Concern
3. What makes a skunk's spray so strong?The spray contains volatile thiols like 3-methyl-1-butanethiol and 2-methyl-1-butanethiol produced by bacteria in their anal glands. It can cause temporary blindness and irritation to predators.
4. Why do skunks have black and white stripes?The stripes warn predators that they can spray. The bright colors reduce how often they need to spray.

Aposematic Coloration: Warning coloration in animals that signals toxicity or danger to predators.
Crepuscular: Animals that are most active during twilight hours (dawn and dusk).
Communal Denning: The behavior of multiple individuals sharing a den, often for thermoregulation during cold periods.