Why are there no chipmunks or skunks in South Carolina?

Question

South Carolina has possumns and raccoons and tons of squirrels but why are there no skunks or chipmunks?

Answer 1

I have collected biological specimens in South Carolina and I found not shortages of the species you mention. I suspect either the habitat in your area is not suitable, or perhaps they are casualties of insecticides or rodenticides. We often cruised the roads that at night and found both the spotted as well as the striped skunk. Chipmunks are diurnal and they were very common in most areas and home owners hated them. Here's a bit more detail on them. Eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius)
This is one of the smallest skunks, (about 1/2 the size of a house cat), with short legs, and a long, bushy tail with a white tip. It has a black coat with 4 broken white stripes, and a white patch on the nose, and front of the ears. The average total length is 470-563 mm average weight being 450-700 grams. This species mates by April, and 2-6 young are born during May or June. The male gives no care to the young. This species is nocturnal, and they climb trees more than other skunks. They are quicker and more alert, also. There is no true hibernation, just short inactive periods in the winter to conserve body fat. Several may den together in the winter. They have a characteristic handstand defense mechanism which makes the skunk appear larger. Striped skunks are easily recognized by their characteristic colors and pattern. The fur is black with a white stripe that begins as a triangular shape on the top of the head, forks into two stripes that travel down the sides of the back, and usually merges again near the base of the tail. Another white stripe runs from the base of the snout between the eyes and ends on the forehead. Stripe width and length vary with each individual. Stripes sometimes occur on the tail, but more often the tail is composed of both black and white hairs intermixed. Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is about the size of a domestic cat, with a small head, small ears, short legs, and a long, fluffy tail. Feet are plantigrade with five partially webbed toes. Claws are longer on the front feet to aid in digging.
Chipmunks. About twenty-five species fall under this title, native to Europe, Asia and North America. The common species of the United States is the Eastern chipmunk Tamias striatus.
The name stems from the loud chip sound that they make, in addition to a rapid trill sound. They are also called the striped squirrel or ground squirrel. However, the name "ground squirrel" is more usually kept for the genus Spermophilus - though Tamias and Spermophilus are only two of the 13 genera of ground-living sciurids.
Though they are commonly depicted with their paws up to the mouth, eating peanuts, or more famously their cheeks bulging out on either side, chipmunks eat a much more diverse range of foods than just nuts. Their omnivorious diet consists of grain, nuts, birds' eggs, and insects. Come autumn, many species of chipmunk begin to stockpile these goods in their burrows, for winter. Other species make multiple small caches of food. These two kinds of behavior are called larder hoarding and scatter hoarding. Larder hoarders usually live in their nests until spring.

Answer 2

SC has both chipmunks and skunks. If you're in the coastal area of the state you probably won't see either. There are plenty of chipmunks in the north west corner of the state as well as skunks in the western portion of the state.

Answer 3

Skunks In Nc

Answer 4

Spilogale putorius is supposedly not rare in Southern Carolina so I'm confused - are no skunks killed on SC roads?

Answer 5

Because they all reside in east tn. most of the chipmunks live in my yard......lol does anyone know how I can remove chipmunks from my yard? They are everywhere.

Answer 6

Haven't thought about that

Answer 7

Hard to stick around when you're on the menu at every diner in the state.

Answer 8

Thank you! Extremely informative and offers me better knowledge on the topic

Answer 9

because of the slaves they ate them all in the war

Answer 10

because all the backwoods people shoot and eat them.
lol