Demography of the Appalachian Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius putorius)

Spilogale putorius (Eastern Spotted Skunk) is a small, secretive carnivore that has substantially declined throughout the eastern United States since mid-1900s. To better understand current status of Eastern Skunks, we studied survival and reproduction S. p. (Appalachian subspecies across 4 states in central southern Appalachian Mountains from 2014 to 2020. Using encounter histories 99 radio-collared Skunks Kaplan–Meier known-fate analysis, calculated mean annual adult rate 0.58. We did not find support for this varying by sex, predator cover (canopy topographic ruggedness), or climate. Compared estimates previous research, our data suggest Skunk intermediate interrupta (Plains ambarvalis (Florida Skunk. located 11 natal dens estimated litter size be 2.8 juveniles per female. used Lefkovitch matrix identify most important demographic rates found survivorship had largest impact on population growth rate. These results provide information future viability analyses can serve as baseline comparative assessments effects management interventions species.