skunk

Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul-smelling odor. General appearance ranges from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal material and changing their diet as the seasons change. They are crepuscular and are solitary animals when not breeding. The most notorious feature of skunks is their anal scent glands, which they can use as a defensive weapon. Skunks have two glands, one on either side of the anus. These glands produce a mixture of sulfur-containing chemicals, which have a highly offensive smell that has been described as a combination of the odors of rotten eggs, garlic and burnt rubber. Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with a high degree of accuracy, as far as 2 to 5 meters (7 to 15 ft).