The Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is a small North American mammal. It is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game.
Description[]
The striped skunk is the best known of ten species of skunk found across the Americas. Closely related to mustelids such as otters and badgers, the striped skunk has a stout body with short limbs and a long heavily-furred tail. Males are slightly larger than females and can reach lengths of 77cm and weigh up to 4.5kg (9.9lbs). Its characteristic black-and-white striped fur serves as a warning coloration (or aposematism) to potential predators.
Native to North America, the striped skunk is extremely versatile. It lives in a variety of habitats, including mixed woodlands and open fields, and is omnivorous with a preference for insects. Like all skunks, it has highly-developed scent glands by its anus that can spray foul-smelling musk as a defense mechanism; the musk can be sprayed up to 15 feet and can blind potential predators if it gets in their eyes. The striped skunk has a wide range across North America and is not considered threatened, although it is a major carrier of rabies.
Zoo Tycoon Friends[]
In the discontinued game Zoo Tycoon Friends, a skunk was an adoptable animal, although it is not known whether it was the striped skunk or a different species.
Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game[]
The striped skunk is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game, where it is one of the twelve Co-Species. It is a Montane Forest animal and is classed as a Carnivore.
As a co-species, the striped skunk is adopted during the fall months and can either be placed in the exhibit of a compatible "Main" species or exhibited on its own. It is compatible with the Bearded Vulture, Common Raccoon, Elk and Red Panda. It is unable to breed and cannot be donated to other zoos, but it is part of the Banff National Park alongside the American Black Bear, common raccoon and elk. If a player exhibits all four species in their zoo, they will earn conservation points.