Variation in home range and use of habitat in the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

We studied home-range size, home-range overlap and use of habitat in a popu lation of striped skunks Mephitis mephitis in eastern Tennessee. Variables determined to influence home-range size were season and body weight: skunks had larger ranges in the spring than in winter and heavier females had lar ger ranges. Habitat, sex and sample sizes of radio-fixes did not correlate with home-range size. All home ranges overlapped by 1.4-100% of the range a rea. There was no pattern of greater intersexual than intrasexual overlap; this differs from many other carnivore studies. Movements of individuals an d distribution of den sites indicated that striped skunks, irrespective of sex or size, prefer edge habitat in comparison to forest or field.