skunk with white tail?

19 years ago

I saw a pretty (if skunks can be pretty) skunk that was unusual. It was at the side of the road and had been hit. It had a completely white bushy tail and was all white down its back. I thought it was albino at first because of the way it was positioned, I couldn't see any black at first. I held my breath and stopped to get a good look. It looked a lot like the pictures of the hooded or hog nose skunk in the link below but it also had a few small white spots down low on its sides. It didn't look anything like the pictures of spotted skunks I've seen. Can they cross? Does anyone know if we have hooded or hog nosed skunks in Missouri? Could a striped skunk have spots and a white tail?

Here is a link that might be useful: 4 types of skunks

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Comments (6)

gldno1
19 years ago
Christie, We are supposed to just have two types in Missouri and the amount of white can vary. I am attaching the Mo. Dept of Cons. website about our native skunks if you are interested.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mo. Skunks
chancygardener
19 years ago
I just saw that white tailed one like Christy saw. It was alive and on my back deck. From the pix, I think it was a Hooded Skunk, because it did have the white stripe down its nose. Armadillos didn't used to live here either, but they do now, so maybe this Hooded Skunk is migrating Northward also. I'm just relieved that the cats didn't pick a fight with it!
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christie_sw_mo
Original Author
19 years ago
If it didn't smell so bad, I would've thought it was a released pet. lol Maybe you're right about them migrating northward. I didn't look for a stripe on its nose so I don't know if it had one. I remember seeing another earlier in the summer (roadkill) that I thought had more white than usual but I didn't get a good look at it.
blackeyedsusanmo
13 years ago
I have one of these that comes to my birdfeeders in the morning. I have been searching to find out what it is since I have never seen one like it before. It has a large fluffy white tail and is actually more white than black. It is a long-haired skunk. Yes they do exist in SWMO.
christie_sw_mo
Original Author
13 years ago
Susan - If you can get a photo of it, I'd like to see it. They're pretty when they have a lot of white. Almost would make a good pet.
My mother was seeing one at her house (also in southwest Missouri) this spring but couldn't get a picture of it.
7201lee
8 years ago
My husband called me outside to see a strange looking skunk....it had a solid white wide long haired stripe down his back. Tail was silver/white-ish. The only black was on his lower one third of his body. Was this a hooded skunk?