| Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Mephitidae |
| Genus: | Conepatus |
| Species: | C. humboldtii |
| Binomial name | |
| Conepatus humboldtii Gray, 1837 |
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| Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk range | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Patagonian Hog-nosed Skunk |
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Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk, also known as the Patagonian hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus humboldtii) is a type of hog-nosed skunk indigenous to the open grassy areas in the Patagonian regions of Argentina and Chile.
These skunks are small and stocky, with a bare nose used for rooting up insects and plants. Their fur is brownish-red with two symmetrical stripes on either side, extending to the tail. They range from 30 cm-34 cm in the body to 17 cm-21 cm in the tail. They usually weigh 1.5 to 3 kg.
Patagonian hog-nosed skunks are primarily insectivorous, but also eat vertebrate prey such as rodents and carrion during winters, when insects are less abundant.[2]