Why Do Skunks Have Stripes?

Why do skunks have their distinctive strips? Museum Educator Jason explains that skunks’ stripes aren’t for camouflage, but rather they act as a warning signal when they feel threatened. When facing potential predators, striped skunks will stomp their feet, arch their backs, and raise their tails to make their white stripes as visible as possible, essentially saying, “Come any closer and you might get sprayed!” When this warning system doesn’t work, they will spray a smelly oil from the base of their tail. Because animals’ memories are deeply tied to scent, any animal that has been sprayed will associate that smell with white stripes, and stay far away!