Range decline and landscape ecology of the eastern spotted skunk

The eastern spotted skunk has declined in numbers across its eastern North American geographic range, and its range has also contracted. This chapter examines the possible causes of this decline (including landscape change, overharvest, novel pathogens, and the onset of modern pesticide use), reviews the state of knowledge of the eastern spotted skunk with a particular focus on the landscape ecology of the species, and identifies topics that represent knowledge gaps for the species. Most knowledge of the ecology of eastern spotted skunks derives from studies conducted at just a handful of sites, and it is unclear the extent to which findings gained from these studies are representative of the ecology of the taxon across its range.