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2016 Southeastern Naturalist Notes Vol. 15, No. 4
T.R. Sprayberry and A.J. Edelman
Food Provisioning of Kits by a Female Eastern Spotted Skunk
Tyler R. Sprayberry1,* and Andrew J. Edelman1
Abstract - Spilogale putorius (Eastern Spotted Skunk) is an elusive species, and little is known about
their natural history in the southeastern US. We used a game camera to observe a female Eastern Spotted
Skunk in the southern Appalachians of Alabama carrying 6 different prey items to her den from
February to August 2015. Half of the observations occurred while she had 2 dependent kits, suggesting
she was provisioning them with food. Identified food items included 3 snakes, a small mammal,
a fungal sporocarp, and an anuran.
Introduction. Spilogale putorius (L.) (Eastern Spotted Skunk) is a small (~0.5–1.5 kg),
nocturnal omnivore that inhabits forested areas with extensive vegetation cover (Kinlaw
1995, Lesmeister et al. 2009). Historically, Eastern Spotted Skunks were widely distributed
throughout much of the eastern US (Kinlaw 1995). However, since the 1940s this species
has experienced dramatic population declines (Gompper and Hackett 2005). Although, the
exact reasons for their range-wide decline are unknown, a variety of possible mechanisms
are suspected including habitat loss, disease, pesticide use, and overharvesting (Gompper
and Hackett 2005). In response to this population change, several state wildlife agencies
have listed the Eastern Spotted Skunk as endangered, threatened, or a species of conservation
concern (Gompper and Hackett 2005). Relatively little is known about this rare species’
behavior and diet throughout its range in the southeastern US (Campbell et al. 2010). Herein,
we report observations from Alabama of a female Eastern Spotted Skunk carrying food back
to her den. Several of these observations occurred while this female was caring for dependent
offspring.
Methods. We opportunistically collected observations as part of a larger study on
habitat use by Eastern Spotted Skunks from December 2014 to February 2016 in the Shoal
Creek Ranger District of the Talladega National Forest. Shoal Creek Ranger District is
located in the southern Appalachians Mountains at the confluence of the Appalachian
Plateau, Valley and Ridge, and Piedmont provinces of northeast Alabama in Cleburne and
Calhoun counties. The rugged topography of the region consists of mesic lower slopes adjacent
to small streams dominated by hardwoods such as Quercus spp. (oaks), Acer rubrum
L. (Red Maple), and Liriodendron tulipifera L. (Tulip Poplar) (Womack and Carter 2011).
Xeric upper slopes and ridgetops ranging from 200 to 730 m asl are typically dominated by
Pinus taeda L. (Loblolly Pine) and P. virginiana Mill. (Virginia Pine) (Womack and Carter
2011). The dominant shrub species found at the study site were Kalmia latifolia L. (Mountain
Laurel), Vaccinium arboreum Marsh. (Sparkleberry), and Hydrangea quercifolia
Bartram (Oakleaf Hydrangea).
During our study, we opportunistically live-trapped and radiotagged (LPM-2800, Wildlife
Materials, Murphysboro, IL) Eastern Spotted Skunks throughout the study area. We used
a telemetry receiver (TRX-1000WR, Wildlife Materials, Murphysboro, IL) with a 3-element
Yagi antenna to locate den sites by homing on radiotagged skunks. We frequently
placed game cameras (M-990i, Moultrie, Birmingham, AL) at dens to monitor the activity
and behavior of each skunk. We placed cameras 1–5 m from the den depending on terrain
1Department of Biology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA 30118. *Corresponding author
- tsprayb1@my.westga.edu.
Manuscript Editor: Michael Conner
Notes of the Southeastern Naturalist, Issue 15/4, 2016
2016 Southeastern Naturalist Notes Vol. 15, No. 4
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T.R. Sprayberry and A.J. Edelman
and location of suitable trees for mounting (Kleuver et al. 2011). We programmed cameras
to take a rapid sequence of 3 pictures when triggered, with a 5-sec interval between additional
picture sets. Each picture was stamped with the time, date, and air temperature (°C).
We recovered the camera images when an individual skunk moved to a new den (Kleuver et
al. 2011). We reviewed images and recorded details of observed behaviors. All methods we
employed were in accordance with the guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists
(Sikes et al. 2016), Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Permit
#2015044275468680), and the University of West Georgia Institutional Animal Care and
Use Committee (Protocol #1003).
Observations. We captured 10 Eastern Spotted Skunks in 250 trap nights; only 8 skunks
(2 females and 6 males) were successfully collared and tracked to den sites. All observations
we report here were collected on 1 adult female Eastern Spotted Skunk during February–
August 2015 at 3 unique dens. This female was captured on 17 January 2015 and weighed
Figure 1. Images of food items brought to 3 dens by a female Eastern Spotted Skunk from February–
August 2015 in the Talladega National Forest, AL. Items by date of appearance include: (A) snake on
21 February 2015, (B) small mammal on 23 February 2015, (C) snake on 3 May 2015, (D) snake on
15 August 2015, (E) fungal sporocarp on 17 August 2015, and (F) anuran on 18 August 2015.
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2016 Southeastern Naturalist Notes Vol. 15, No. 4
T.R. Sprayberry and A.J. Edelman
550 g. We observed 6 different events during which this female skunk took food back to her
den. The first 3 observations occurred prior to suspected parturition. The first observation
on 21 February 2015 (air temperature = -4 °C) at 03:11, recorded the female taking a snake
into her ground den (Fig. 1A). The second observation occurred on 23 February 2015 (air
temperature = -2 °C) at 04:34, when she brought a small mammal back to the same den (Fig.
1B). The third observation on 3 May 2015 (air temperature = 9 °C) at 23:52, involved the
female taking a snake to a different den located under an up-rooted tree (Fig. 1C). We first
observed 2 dependent kits at her den on 9 August 2015. The next 3 events occurred while
the adult female was caring for dependent offspring, suggesting she was provisioning them
with food. On 15 August 2015 (air temperature = 19 °C) at 21:05, the female skunk carried a
snake to a different den located in the ground (Fig. 1D). Two days later on 17 August 2015 at
23:19 (air temperature = 17 °C), we captured images of the female with a fungal sporocarp
at this same den (Fig. 1E). The sporocarp was left at the den entrance likely because it was
too large to fit into the opening. Approximately 1 min after this observation, the adult female
left the den. The 2 kits emerged from the den 3 hr 38 min later that same night. At that time,
one of the kits handled and partially ate the sporocarp. The following night, on 18 August
2015 (air temperature = 17 °C) at 01:07, the adult female skunk placed an anuran at the den
opening (Fig 1F). Approximately 1 min later, both kits exited the den and moved out of the
camera’s field of view.
Discussion. To our knowledge, ours is only the second reported observation of food
provisioning of dependent offspring by this species. The first recorded observation of
food provisioning was in Florida and consisted of an Eastern Spotted Skunk carrying an
unidentifiable prey item to a den that had kits inside (Toland 1990). Eastern Spotted Skunks
typically mate during March and April with parturition (average litter size = 5.5 offspring)
occurring in early June (Crabb 1944, Mead 1968). Kits are weaned at about 54 days of age,
but can remain with the mother through autumn (Crabb 1944). Our observations of the
female bringing food to the den in August suggest that she was weaning her kits by provisioning
them with food. Provisioning of offspring can reduce the mother’s energetic costs
because directly feeding prey to young is likely more energy-efficient than converting it
into milk. Food provisioning also provides an opportunity for offspring to learn about local
food sources and develop prey-handling skills (Holekamp and Smale 1990).
Our observations provide additional information on the diet of Eastern Spotted Skunks
in this region. The female skunk we monitored collected a wide variety of food items
including several snakes, an anuran, a small mammal, and a fungal sporocarp. All of the
observed food items were relatively large compared to the skunk’s body size and we assume
that smaller items (arthropods, plant material, etc.) were either consumed immediately
rather than brought back to the den, or carried back to the den inside of the skunk’s mouth
and undetected by our methods. Our observations constitute the first report of snakes and
anurans as a part of the Eastern Spotted Skunk’s diet. Previous studies of this species,
primarily in the midwestern US, indicated that their diet mainly consists of arthropods in
summer and fall and small mammals in winter and spring (Crabb 1941, 1948; McCullough
and Fritzell 1984; Selko 1937). This main diet is supplemented by birds, bird eggs, carrion,
lizards, salamanders, plant material, and fungi when seasonally available or opportunistically
encountered (Crabb 1941, 1948; Howell 1906; McCullough and Fritzell 1984; Selko
1937). Three of the 6 food items from our observations were snakes. The first snake was
collected during winter, when the air temperature was -4 °C, suggesting that the snake
was torpid; the other 2 snakes were collected at warmer temperatures. Further research is
needed to determine whether snakes and other reptiles and amphibians are a major component
of the Eastern Spotted Skunk diet in the southeastern US.
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T.R. Sprayberry and A.J. Edelman
Our observations provide further insight into the diet and parental behavior of this rare
mammal in the southern Appalachians. In Alabama, the Eastern Spotted Skunk is classified
as a protected species of high conservation priority, but little is known about its natural history
(Mirarchi et al. 2004). The variety of food items collected by the female in this study
indicates that Eastern Spotted Skunks in the southern Appalachians are omnivores as observed
in other portions of their range (Crabb 1941, 1948; McCullough and Fritzell 1984;
Selko 1937). The generalized diet of Eastern Spotted Skunks suggests their range-wide
decline is driven by factors other than food availability.
Acknowledgments. We thank Jonathan Stober and Nicholas Sharp for their assistance with this
project. Funding was provided by the Department of Biology at the University of West Georgia, the
Talladega National Forest, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the US
Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Friends of the Talladega National Forest.
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