# Where Do Skunks Live?

> Where skunks live: Woodland, grassland, farmland, suburbs, native range cues, and human overlap. Status Least Concern.

- **Species:** Skunk (*Mephitis mephitis*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Omnivore (insects, small animals, fruit)
- **Habitat:** Woodland, grassland, farmland, suburbs
- **Lifespan:** 2–3 years wild (up to 7)
- **Top speed:** 16 km/h (10 mph)
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/skunk/where-do-skunk-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/skunk/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The striped skunk is a cat-sized North American mammal best known for the foul-smelling spray it fires from glands under its tail to deter predators. Its bold black-and-white pattern is a warning to leave it alone. Skunks are omnivores active mainly at night, weigh up to about 6 kg (13 lb), and usually live 2 to 3 years in the wild.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## The famous spray

A skunk's defence is a pair of glands beside the anus that can fire a fine, oily, sulphur-based spray up to about 3 m (10 ft) with good aim. The smell is overpowering and can cause stinging and temporary blindness if it hits the eyes. Skunks would rather warn than waste it: a threatened skunk stamps its feet, hisses, raises its tail, and — in spotted skunks — may even do a handstand before spraying as a last resort.

## Help protect the Skunk

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/skunk/where-do-skunk-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.