Molina's hog-nosed skunk

Molina's hog-nosed skunk, also called the Andes skunk (Conepatus chinga), is a skunk species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay, at elevations up to 5000 m.

Molina's hog-nosed skunk
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Mephitidae
Genus:	Conepatus
Species:	C. chinga
Binomial name
Conepatus chinga (Molina, 1782)
Molina's hog-nosed skunk range

Habitat

The Molina's hog-nosed skunk's native range is throughout mid to southern South America, Chile, Peru, northern Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil.^[2] The mammal is therefore associated with temperate regions and open areas, mainly described as the Pampas biome^[3] and preferring to live in open vegetation, shrub forest and rocky sloped areas.^[2]

Population and distribution

Typically they will live alone in an average home range size of about 1.66 individuals/km² with some overlapping and about six skunks per 3.5 km².^[4] Although living in mostly solitary areas, the skunks will come together temporarily for mating purposes.^[2]

Diet

Foraging mainly at night, the skunk is omnivorous, eating birds, small mammals, eggs, insects, leaves, and fruit. The tooth morphology in the Molina's hog-nosed skunk, is different from most mammals in that their teeth are adapted to their omnivorous diet with grinding being the main function of the carnassial apparatus.^[5]

Conservation status

The skunk is listed as "least concern" according to the IUCN Red List. The main threats to the skunk are increased habitat destruction and fragmentation^[6] from over exploitation of humans and grazing in agriculture. The skunk is also affected by the planning of new roads and road-kills. Due to improper planning, habitat destruction, and fragmentation, the skunk has started living around man-made structures and along fences and buildings.^[6]

References

1. Emmons, L.; Schiaffini, M.; Schipper, J. (2016). "Conepatus chinga". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41630A45210528. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41630A45210528.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
2. Afflerbaugh, Kevin (2002). "Conepatus chinga". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
3. Kasper, Carlos B.; et al. (2012). "Differential patterns of home-range, net displacement and resting sites use of Conepatus chinga in southern Brazil". Mammalian Biology. 77 (5): 358–362. doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2012.03.006.
4. Castillo, D. F.; et al. (2011). "Spatial organization of Molina's hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus chinga) in two landscapes of the Pampas grassland of Argentina". Canadian Journal of Zoology. 89 (3): 229–238. doi:10.1139/Z10-110.
5. Peters, Felipe Bortolotto; et al. (April 2011). "Feeding Habits of Molina's Hog-Nosed Skunk, Conepatus Chinga (Carnivora: Mephitidae) In The Extreme South of Brazil". Zoologia (Curitiba). 28 (2): 193. doi:10.1590/S1984-46702011000200006. The grinding function of the carnassial ap-paratus in skunks (Vaughan et al. 1999) is considered to be appropriate for a diet with a predominance of beetles: small prey that offer lower physical resistance.
6. Castillo, Diego F.; et al. (July 2011). "Denning ecology of Molina's hog-nosed skunk in a farmland area in the Pampas grassland of Argentina". Ecological Research. 26 (4). The Ecological Society of Japan: 845–850. doi:10.1007/s11284-011-0855-y. S2CID 35862526. Increasing habitat destruction and fragmentation has a tremendous influence on mesocarnivore communities.