Skunk Amazing Facts — The Animal Whose Chemical Weapon Can Be Smelled From 1.5 Kilometres Away
The skunk is one of North America's most instantly recognisable and most carefully avoided animals — a small, boldly patterned black-and-white mammal that carries one of the animal kingdom's most effective chemical deterrents. Far from being a last resort, the skunk's spray is a precision-aimed, highly effective weapon that has convinced even bears and mountain lions to reconsider their meal choices. But the skunk is far more interesting than its infamous smell. Here are the most amazing skunk facts! Did you know? A skunk can aim its spray with pinpoint accuracy at a target up to 3 metres away — and can fire up to 6 consecutive sprays before its supply runs dry. The smell can be detected by humans up to 1.5 kilometres downwind! 💨 The Chemistry of the Spray Skunk spray is produced by two scent glands located on either side of the anus and is a complex mixture of sulphur-containing organic compounds called thiols — particularly (E)-2-butene-1-thiol and 3-methyl-1-butanethi...