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.
Donkeys in a valley near Rhyolite, Nevada
Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil
Impala with red-billed oxpecker in Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
Magellanic penguins, Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands
Andean cocks-of-the-rock, Ecuador
Atlantic spotted dolphins near Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal
Red fox cubs near their den
North American beaver, Moran, Wyoming
