Striped skunk kit smelling a wildflower

© Tim Fitzharris/Minden Pictures

Striped skunk kit smelling a wildflower

Pop culture has a long history of ironic portrayals of skunks, including Flower, the sweet-natured friend of Bambi, and the clueless lothario Pepe Le Pew. The comedic angle for most of these renditions leans on our collective fear of the skunk’s musk, which not only smells terrible and is difficult to wash off, but can burn the eyes of any predator who gets too close. Striped skunks can spray their musk effectively as far as 12 feet.