Backyard Gardener: Skunks in the neighborhood

Four skunk species can be found in Arizona. The American hog-nosed skunk is the largest and is found predominantly along Arizona’s southern border (upper left, photo from www.inaturalist.org). The western spotted skunk is the smallest species in Arizona (lower left, photo from www.inaturalist.org). The striped skunk are the most common species in Arizona (upper right, photo from National Park Service, Southwest Region). Their size, markings, and habitat preferences make each species unique (lower right, drawing from New Mexico State University).