Dens are important ecological characteristics of carnivores, yet littl
e is known of the denning ecology of the island spotted skunk, an insu
lar endemic subspecies whose continued existence is uncertain. Den cha
racteristics and patterns of use were quantified for the island spotte
d skunk of Santa Cruz Island by locating eight radio-collared individu
als. Skunks readily excavated dens in a variety of substrates, includi
ng earth and roots beneath shrubs, cavities in rocks, open grassy area
s, road cuts, human-made structures, and trunks and roots of oaks. Ind
ividual skunks used several dens distributed throughout their home ran
ges. Some dens were used by more than one skunk, yet only females shar
ed dens simultaneously. Overall, skunks seemed opportunistic in their
den-site selection, suggesting that dens may not be a limiting factor
for island spotted skunk populations.