First tracking of an eastern spotted skunk litter from birth to independence

Abstract

Abstract We tracked a female eastern spotted skunk Spilogale putorius in North Carolina, USA, that gave birth to a litter of three kits in summer 2020. Using camera traps and radio-collars, we were able to monitor the movement and behaviors of the female and litter. We observed behaviors including food provisioning, play-fighting, and interspecific interactions. We tracked the movements of the kits past independence from their mother and documented dispersal events for two kits. This is the first known successful attempt to track eastern spotted skunk kits from birth to independence, providing new insights into the ecology of this cryptic species.