A skunk's spray, according to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), can persist for weeks and be detected over a mile away.
On a still day, a skunk can discharge musk 12 feet with good accuracy. On a windy day, spray may reach a person standing downwind 18 feet away or more. Because even a few droplets of skunk spray smell so strongly, it doesn’t take a direct hit to pick up the odor.
Even though skunks possess a powerful spray defense, they will not spray unless surprised, cornered, harmed, or they need to protect their young. Young skunks are more likely to spray than more experienced skunks.
Because skunks have a limited supply of ammunition, they don’t waste their defensive spray. A striped skunk can fire five to eight times before it has to reload, which takes about a week.
Skunk spray causes no real damage to its victims, but it sure makes them uncomfortable.
Check out more facts about skunks on NationalGeographic.com and Wdfw.wa.gov.
Here are Helpful Tips for Skunk Spray Removal shared by PestKill.org.