Skunks live across much of North and South America, in habitats ranging from wild countryside to busy suburbs and cities.

Main habitats

  • Fields and grasslands, including farm fields and pastures where there are plenty of insects and small animals to eat.
  • Forest edges and brushy areas, which give them cover plus open ground to forage at night.
  • Deserts and plains in drier regions, especially for some species in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
  • Areas within about two miles of water, such as near streams, ponds, or wetlands, which offer food and shelter.

Where skunks make their homes

  • Underground dens or burrows, often tunnels abandoned by animals like woodchucks or foxes.
  • Spaces under porches, decks, sheds, and concrete slabs in suburban and urban neighborhoods.
  • Wood and rock piles, brush piles, hollow logs, culverts, and drain pipes that provide dark, protected hiding spots.

In short, if there is food, some cover, and a place to dig or tuck into a den, skunks can probably live there.