Open 361 Days a Year: Admissions 10:00am – 3:30pm; park closes at 4:30pm

The WNC Nature Center will reopen to the public on Monday, March 17. Visitors will need to alter their typical route to accommodate for the loss of the Gashes Creek Bridge. Learn more at www.wildwnc.org/plan-your-visit.

The Nature Center will open a week earlier for members on Monday, March 10. Become a member now at www.wildwnc.org/membership.

Striped Skunk

Mephitis mephitis

Appearance: Striped skunks are about the size of a domestic cat, weighing from 2.5 to 10 pounds. Typically, striped skunks have a dark black body with a bright white stripe which begins on the head and splits into two parallel stripes down the back and onto the tail. Their long nails are adapted for digging, particularly on their front feet.

Behavior: To protect themselves from predators, they have glands near the base of their tails that can spray a highly noxious musk at predators. They can spray this musk as far as 10-15 feet and can spray up to six times in quick succession. Before they spray, they will first try to run away and if that doesn’t work, it will then arch it back, hiss, stomp its feet, or even charge the predator– they will only spray as a last resort.

Range: Striped skunks are found across most of continental North America from Southern Canada to Northern Mexico.

Diet: They are omnivores and eat many things including small insects, worms, mice, eggs, berries, vegetables, and small chicks.