|At least four species of skunks are found in Arizona. All of
the species have scent glands on either side of their anal
sphincter which secrete a secretion of musk that gives them
their malodorous reputation. This defensive reaction and their
striking white on black color patterns are usually enough to
deter all but the most determined predator. Omnivorous, mostly
nocturnal foragers, skunks are highly susceptible to the rabies
virus. Indeed, early Arizonans so associated rabies with skunks
that some species were termed "hydrophobia cats." The most
common of the species by far is the cat-sized striped skunk that
occurs throughout Arizona and constitutes the vast majority of
the road-killed mammals seen on the state's highways. The
striped skunk is not only Arizona's most frequently seen skunk,
it is also the largest. Weights range from about 2 ½ pounds for
an adult female to an occasional 10 pounds or more for an obese
male. The species always displays a thin white stripe on its
face, even though the striping