Atlantic City skunks are one of those animals that with one glance you know exactly what they are (unless you are Pepe Le Pew, who as a skunk, mistook a cat for the love of his life). While there are several different types of skunks the most common that you may come across would be the striped skunks, hooded skunks, hog-nosed skunks, and spotted skunks. Spotted skunks is a bit of a misnomer because they aren't actually spotted like you would imagine, the have stripes down their back that are broken instead of solid. But let's take a look as to why they typically have white stripes.



They Tell Predators What they are About
Animals generally have markings that make predators aware as to what they are capable of. When it comes to the distinct colors on New Jersey skunks, it's letting others know what their method of defense is. Their anal glands are not just for show, they can actually spray their musk up to ten feet away. Experts tend to agree that the striping that they have will keep predators away from them and deter them from being attacked, whereas if they were all black or all white, predators might not be indicative of what could happen. Then you are probably questioning why have the stripes at all if they can just defend themselves. Because they don't have an unlimited reserve at all times. Instead of having to use that, they are naturally warning predators to stay away.

They are Born with Them
Unlike some animals, Atlantic City skunks are born with their stripes. While many may look similar there are no two skunks that look alike with regards to their stripes. A litter of kits, as they are called, will call come out looking different from each other, some with longer or shorter stripes, others with thicker or thinner stripes. Oddly enough they are born with very little hair, but the stripe is already highly visible to those handling them or who see them. Unlike other animals their stripes and markings are not used in helping them to blend into their surrounds, they are used to end off their attackers and keep them from having to spray. Consider this, as a human, you see a cat and you react, maybe seeing if it will let you pick it up, etc. However, when you notice the discernable stripes of a skunk you stay away. That's how it works, and their stripes specifically point to the location that will cause the most harm or lack of comfortability to others, their backends.

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