Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk | |
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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 |
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.
This skunk is small and stocky, with a bare nose used for rooting up insects and plants. Its fur is brownish-red with two symmetrical stripes on either side, extending to the tail. It ranges from 30–34 cm in body length, with a 17- to 21-cm tail. They usually weigh 1.5 to 3.0 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.