I observed a large number of roadkill Striped Skunks on US 380 this weekend. This is an unfortunate, but common, occurrence at this time of the year. Mating season for the skunk is well underway, and the males often get reckless in their single-mindedness.
Wikipedia says this about the Striped Skunk:
The striped skunk has a black body with a white stripe along each side of its body; the two stripes join into a broader white area at the nape. Its forehead has a narrow white stripe. Similar in size to a domestic cat, this species is the heaviest species of skunk, though it is not as long (in body or tail length) as the American hog-nosed skunk.[4] Adults can weigh from 2.5 to 15 lb (1.1 to 6.8 kg), although the average weight is 6–8 lb (2.7–3.6 kg). The animal’s length (excluding the tail) is 13 to 18 in (33 to 46 cm). Males tend to be around 10% larger than females. The bushy tail is 7 to 10 in (18 to 25 cm), and sometimes has a white tip. The presence of a striped skunk is often first made apparent by its odor. It has well-developed anal scent glands (characteristic of all skunks) that can emit a highly unpleasant odor when the skunk feels threatened.
