American Dog Ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) as Biological Indicators of an Association between the Enteric Bacterium Moellerella wisconsensis and Striped Skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in Southwestern Manitoba, Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil B. Chilton ◽  
Shaun J. Dergousoff ◽  
Veronica Brzezowska ◽  
Chantel N. Trost ◽  
Diana R. Dunlop
Keyword(s):  
Biological Indicators ◽  
Dermacentor Variabilis ◽  
Mephitis Mephitis ◽  
Enteric Bacterium ◽  
Striped Skunks

scholarly journals Summer Movements and Impact of Individual Striped Skunks, Mephitis mephitis, on Duck Nests in Saskatchewan

2006 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 342
Author(s):  
Serge Larivière ◽  
Lyle R. Walton ◽  
François Messier
Keyword(s):  
Mephitis Mephitis ◽  
Direct Function ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Striped Skunk ◽  
Intensive Observations ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Foraging Movements ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Striped Skunks ◽  
Nesting Season

Striped Skunks (Mephitis mephitis) are important predators of duck eggs in the Canadian prairies. We estimated the impact of individual Striped Skunks on duck nests by intensive observations of foraging movements and depredation of duck nests in southern Saskatchewan, 1993-1994. Nightly, skunk movements were variable (range 0-20 km per night), and did not differ among seasons for females, or between males and females during the parturition/rearing season. Overall, nightly movement of Striped Skunks averaged 7.4 km for females (SD = 5.9 km, n = 20 females) and 6.7 km for males (SD = 3.2 km, n = 5 males). During 1,873 h of radio-tracking, we observed depredation of 10 duck nests by 8 skunks (7 F, 1 M). Using our observed estimate of one depredation for every 187 h, and averaged nightly activity of 8-10 h per night, we estimated that individual skunks find one duck nest every 19-23 nights. Thus, during the 60-day nesting season for ducks (mid-May to mid-July), individual skunks probably find 2-3 duck nests. These observations reinforce the growing evidence that, at normal duck nest densities (<2.5 nests/ha), depredation of eggs by Striped Skunks is opportunistic, and the impact of Striped Skunks on duck nests is a direct function of Striped Skunk abundance.

scholarly journals Streptococcus equisimilis Infection in Striped Skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in Saskatchewan

2002 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 641-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeen Ten Hwang ◽  
G. Wobeser ◽  
S. Larivière ◽  
F. Messier
Keyword(s):  
Mephitis Mephitis ◽  
Striped Skunks

Spatial ecology of urban striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in the Northern Great Plains: a framework for future oral rabies vaccination programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 539-552
Author(s):  
Anna L. Schneider ◽  
Amy T. Gilbert ◽  
W. David Walter ◽  
Gregory S. Vandeberg ◽  
Jason R. Boulanger
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Mephitis Mephitis ◽  
Vaccination Programs ◽  
Striped Skunks ◽  
Rabies Vaccination

Olfactory Search Images in Striped Skunks

Behaviour ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 119 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 267-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vilis O. Nams
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Prey Preference ◽  
Mephitis Mephitis ◽  
Reaction Distance ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Striped Skunks ◽  
Specific Food ◽  
Shifting Attention

AbstractStriped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) which had been raised in captivity can increase their reaction distance to the smell of a given food. This reaction distance decreases after they find other types of foods, using either sound or smell. This decrease could be a result of skunks increasing preference for specific food, or shifting attention onto the smell of specific food. However, other experiments showed that skunks do not change prey preference. Therefore the decrease in reaction distance is likely due to skunks shifting attention to the smell of specific food. I suggest that this is the olfactory analogue to visual search images-i.e. olfactory search images.

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