Life Strategy
Characteristics of a K strategist:
Large size of organism
energy used to make each individual is
high
few offspring are produced
late maturity, often after a prolonged period of parental care
long life expectancy
individuals can reproduce more than once in their lifetime
type I or II survivorship pattern in which most individuals live to near the maximum life span
The males mate with many females, but each female will only breed once each year with one male. The males do not participate in raising the young. Breeding takes place in February or March and the young are born in May or early June. The litter averages 6 and a ranges from 4 to 10 young. They are born blind with their fur already in the unique skunk pattern. Their eyes open at 4 weeks. A mother skunk is fiercely protective of her young. She grooms them often and carries them around with her mouth. At 6 to 8 weeks the mother takes the young out on trips. The young leave home either in the fall or the following spring when they will start their own families.