Hooded
SkunkBody length: 12-16"
Diet: Rodents and insects
Most people have never heard of hooded skunks, and they are very easy to confuse
with hog-nosed and striped
skunks. Look for these distinguishing features: a white stripe down the center
of the nose (which the hog-nosed skunk lacks, but the striped skunk has), and
a white back which lacks a black V pattern (the hog-nosed skunk has no V, but
the striped skunk does).
Confused? To make matters worse, although this species usually has an all-white back, there is also a variety with an all-black back!
Hooded skunks occur in the US only in southern Arizona, southern New Mexico, and southwestern Texas. They appear to be common in the Monument, and may be the most frequently seen skunk in the Tonto Basin.
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Updated
May 8, 2005