How to know the tracks of a skunk

Sometimes, you might find some strange tracks on your property or you can find holes under your house. You may not know if they are from a possum, skunk, or other animal. People know that if they have a skunk around, it may smell, but they might not know a skunk by its tracks.

The features of skunk feet

A skunk’s rear foot is small in comparison with the front foot, which is wider and narrower. The front foot looks like a hand and the rear foot looks like a blotchy shape. The skunk is not that graceful, so even if it tries walking in a straight manner, it will not always happen. When tracks are more like that of a human hand, it could be a raccoon rather than a skunk.

What makes skunk tracks different

A skunk is known to have five digits on the back and front feet. It also has long claws, and this is different from people’s hands. The claws on the front are longer, and the back print shows a divided heel, which makes the identification easy. There is a small inside toe that cannot always be seen with a rear footprint. The claws will not look long on the back print as they do with the front print.

The gait of a skunk

The smallest toe can be found inside the track and near an opening crease. The opening found between the heel pad and the remaining foot is larger in the track. An over-step or lope walk is the common gait found with skunks. Because the skunk is small normally, the stride may be just eight or four inches in length. You can see many tracks in a short distance.

Know the difference between a skunk’s track and other animals

A striped skunk’s tracks are not the same as those of a spotted one. The pad of a spotted skunk is very different. In order to identify the tracks of the skunk, you should also familiarize yourself with the tracks of other small animals like raccoons and rabbits so that you can be aware of the differences.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Skunks page or email us if you have any other questions about How to know the tracks of a skunk