Detection of Eastern Spotted Skunks on Pine Mountain in Southeastern Kentucky Using Baited Enclosed Track Plates

Anthony D. Lindsay¹ and Sara J. Ash^2,*

¹Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, Berea, KY 40403.²Department of Biology, University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, KY 40769. *Corresponding author.

Southeastern Naturalist,Volume 20, Special Issue 11 (2021): 74–82

Abstract
Spilogale putorius (Eastern Spotted Skunk) is listed as a species of greatest conservation need by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. The objective of this study was to use enclosed track plates to investigate whether the species occurred in 7 protected areas along Pine Mountain in eastern Kentucky. We inventoried 30 sites from December 2017 through March 2018. We detected skunks in March at 2 different sites located at Kingdom Come Preserve and Hensley Pine Wildlife Management Area. We recommend further inventories for Eastern Spotted Skunks on Pine Mountain and comparisons of enclosed track plates to remote camera traps to detect Eastern Spotted Skunks in Appalachia.

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