Here's Why You'll Be Seeing Plenty Of Illinois Skunks Very Soon

It was around this time of year that one of our two family dogs, Lucy, had her first encounter with a skunk during mating season--and it did not end well for Lucy. After 5 or so treatments with skunk smell removing solution, Lucy began to be a bit more tolerable to be around. She'll be delighted to know that the skunks are back and very active.

According to the University of Illinois Extension, we're just at the tail end of skunk mating season, which takes place from mid-February to mid-April, meaning that amorous skunks are out and about, and baby skunks (called "kits") will be coming along starting in early May. As to where in Illinois you can find them--try everywhere.

Getty Images

We've Got A Few Different Varieties Of Skunks Here In Illinois

If you see a skunk here in Illinois (and the calendar says that you probably will), you're probably looking at the striped skunk, the most common and only skunk native to Illinois. Our state is also home to spotted skunks, hooded skunks and hog-nosed skunks, but there are far less of them.

I didn't know until this morning that there are 12 total species of skunk scattered around the globe:

Striped skunk
Hooded skunk
Western spotted skunk
Eastern spotted skunk
Southern spotted skunk
Pygmy spotted skunk
American hog-nosed skunk
Striped hog-nosed skunk
Humboldt’s hog-nosed skunk
Molina’s hog-nosed skunk
Indonesian stink badger
Palawan stink badger

This man is demonstrating the international skunk sign. It can also be used when someone breaks wind. (Getty Images)

When We Get Into The Spring Season, Illinois' Skunks Get Busy--And Your Chance Of An Encounter Goes Way Up

Here in Illinois, skunk mating season takes place in February and March. After a gestation period of about 8 to 10 weeks, a litter that can range between 1 and 9 "kits" is born. The kits (baby skunks are kits, male skunks are "bucks," and a female is a "doe") are then raised in a den of some sort, usually taken from another animal.

Which brings us to why Illinois skunks are super active right now. They're young, they're house-shopping and grub hunting, and they can be quick to spray you or your pets.

Here's the normal spraying pose. (Getty Images)

And the deluxe, more athletic spraying pose. (Getty Images)

The Striped Skunk Will Give You A Warning Before Letting Loose With That Foul Smelling Spray, So It's A Good Idea To Know What To Look For

According to the skunk fact sheet from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the skunk is known for its bad-smelling scent that is used to spray any animal it considers to be a threat. When initially disturbed, the skunk will arch its back, raise its tail to show the scent glands and stomp the ground. It only releases its foul scent after this warning.

For the next few weeks, keep your eyes open for these little creatures all around Northern Illinois, and it wouldn't hurt to have a "scent removal plan" if you've got pets that spend time outdoors, especially at night. Skunks are nocturnal, and do most of their roaming after dark.

Why do cats have whiskers? Why do they meow? Why do they nap so much? And answers to 47 other kitty questions:

Why do they meow? Why do they nap so much? Why do they have whiskers? Cats, and their undeniably adorable babies known as kittens, are mysterious creatures. Their larger relatives, after all, are some of the most mystical and lethal animals on the planet. Many questions related to domestic felines, however, have perfectly logical answers. Here’s a look at some of the most common questions related to kittens and cats, and the answers cat lovers are looking for.