Humboldt's Hog-nosed Skunk
Encyclopedia
Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk, also known as the Patagonian hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus humboldtii) is a type of hog-nosed skunk
indigenous to the open grassy areas in the Patagonian regions
of Argentina
and Chile
.
s and plants. Their fur is brownish-red with two symmetrical stripes on either side, extending to the tail. They range from 30 cm-34 cm in the body to 17 cm-21 cm in the tail. They usually weigh 1.5 to 3 kg.
, but also eat vertebrate prey such as rodent
s and carrion during winters, when insects are less abundant.
Hog-nosed skunk
The hog-nosed skunks belong to the genus Conepatus and are members of the family Mephitidae . They are native to the Americas. They have white backs and tails and black underparts...
indigenous to the open grassy areas in the Patagonian regions
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Appearance
These skunks are small and stocky, with a bare nose used for rooting up insectInsect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and plants. Their fur is brownish-red with two symmetrical stripes on either side, extending to the tail. They range from 30 cm-34 cm in the body to 17 cm-21 cm in the tail. They usually weigh 1.5 to 3 kg.
Food
Patagonian hog-nosed skunks are primarily insectivorousInsectivore
An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures. An alternate term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of eating insects....
, but also eat vertebrate prey such as rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s and carrion during winters, when insects are less abundant.