{"id":141774,"date":"2025-03-18T02:25:54","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T07:25:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=141774"},"modified":"2025-07-11T14:06:53","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T19:06:53","slug":"foraging-striped-skunk-at-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/03\/18\/foraging-striped-skunk-at-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"Foraging Striped Skunk At Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday, Steve Creek<\/span><\/a> and I found a Striped Skunk in a field at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, and we both jumped out of his truck to take photos.<\/p>\n

\"StripedStriped Skunk in a field at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 800, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 371mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

We both noticed right away that the skunk had variant coat colors, there was a rich, almost cinnamon-brown coloration on their back near the tail, where Striped Skunks are typically black. The tail also caught our eyes and wasn\u2019t quite typical.<\/p>\n

\"StripedStriped Skunk walking on a gravel road \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/2500, ISO 800, +0.3 EV, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

We also both noticed that the skunk’s left eye appeared to have a milky-looking cataract.<\/p>\n

Our friend Bret drove up and stood a distance behind us to photograph the skunk and said he was ready to photograph us if<\/em> we had gotten sprayed. When he told Steve and me that, we all laughed.<\/p>\n

I should mention that the skunk never showed any signs of being alarmed or uncomfortable with us around.<\/p>\n

While the skunk was on the road, it looked like it might walk right up to Steve.<\/p>\n

\"StripedStriped Skunk walking towards me \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/2500, ISO 800, +0.3 EV, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Thankfully, the Striped Skunk turned and headed back toward the field and didn\u2019t spray any of us! I can\u2019t imagine what it would have been like to ride an hour in Steve\u2019s pickup if either or both of us had gotten sprayed!<\/p>\n

\"StripedStriped Skunk with variant coat colors \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 800, +0.3 EV, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 340mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a bit sad when we realized this skunk was missing its right eye, there was just an empty socket in its place.<\/p>\n

Despite that, its ability to survive with one missing eye and impaired vision in the other says a lot about its resilience. Skunks rely heavily on their sense of smell and hearing to navigate and forage, so it\u2019s possible it has adapted well its eye conditions.<\/p>\n

This was the first time I\u2019ve had an opportunity to photograph a skunk at the refuge, and I had fun taking these images.<\/p>\n

Life is good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view my Striped Skunk photo gallery plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday, Steve Creek and I found a Striped Skunk in a field at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, and we both jumped out of his truck to take photos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":141761,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[13973,13974,13788],"tags":[4004,14190,13984,1124,3747,6790,13791,4784,14021,2326,14020,6832,13792,13790,16303,16304,4236,373],"class_list":["post-141774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oklahoma","category-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","category-striped-skunks","tag-adult","tag-bottomland-hardwood-forest","tag-bottomlands","tag-field","tag-grass","tag-gravel","tag-mephitis-mephitis","tag-mustelids","tag-oklahoma","tag-road","tag-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","tag-skunk","tag-skunks","tag-striped-skunk","tag-variant-coat","tag-variant-colors","tag-walking","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t