The Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative Study Group is composed of approximately 170 wildlife biologists representing 24 state agencies, 21 universities, 5 federal agencies, 3 NGOs and 2 tribal nations.
Study group chair
Katelin Cross, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, [email protected]
Advisory Committee
Dr. Andrew Eldman, University of West Georgia (Past Chair); Dr. David Jachowski (Past Chair), Clemson University; Clint Perkins, Texas Tech University; Colleen Olfenbuttel, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission; Courtney Hayes, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Communications Coordinator
Ashley Hobbs, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, [email protected]
Study group chair
Katelin Cross, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, [email protected]
Advisory Committee
Dr. Andrew Eldman, University of West Georgia (Past Chair); Dr. David Jachowski (Past Chair), Clemson University; Clint Perkins, Texas Tech University; Colleen Olfenbuttel, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission; Courtney Hayes, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Communications Coordinator
Ashley Hobbs, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, [email protected]
Eastern Spotted Skunk Conservation Plan
In 2018 the Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative Study Group collectively authored and released a conservation plan for the species. The intent of this document is to summarize what is currently known about the species, to identify knowledge gaps for the species that need to be investigated further, and to act as a resource for wildlife professionals. The plan has been approved by the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) Furbearer Working Group (July 2018) and Wildlife Resources Committee (Oct. 2018) and the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (NEAFWA) Furbearer Resources Technical Committee (Sept. 2018), and the Midwest Furbearer Group (April 2019), a Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (MAFWA) technical working committee. Minor updates to the plan occurred in 2019 and 2020. A PDF of the most recent version of the plan can be downloaded by clicking on the link below.
Recommended citation:
Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative Study Group. 2020. Eastern Spotted Skunk Conservation Plan. easternspottedskunk.weebly.com. Accessed [current date].
Recommended citation:
Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative Study Group. 2020. Eastern Spotted Skunk Conservation Plan. easternspottedskunk.weebly.com. Accessed [current date].
| ess_conservation_plan_dec92020.pdf |
Recent Publications
Perkins, J. C., A. A. Gibson, B. D. Wolaver, B. J. Labay, J. P. Pierre, and R. C. Dowler. 2022. An evaluation of detection methods for the plains spotted skunk. Wildlife Society Bulletin 46:e1376. https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1376
Marie I Tosa, Damon B Lesmeister, and Taal Levi "BARRED OWL PREDATION OF WESTERN SPOTTED SKUNKS," Northwestern Naturalist 103(3), 250-256, (17 November 2022). https://doi.org/10.1898/1051-1733-103.3.250
Arts, K.J., M.K. Hudson, Sharp, N.W., and A.J. Edelman. 2022. Eastern spotted skunks alter nightly activity and movement in response to environmental conditions. American Midland Naturalist 188:33-55. https://doi.org/10.1674/0003-0031-188.1.33
Casey G. Dukes, David S. Jachowski, Stephen N. Harris, Luke E. Dodd, Andrew J. Edelman, Summer H. LaRose, Robert C. Lonsinger, D. Blake Sasse, Maximilian L. Allen. 2022. A Review of Camera-Trapping Methodology for Eastern Spotted Skunks. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 1 June 2022; 13 (1): 295–305. doi: https://doi.org/10.3996/JFWM-21-073
Marneweck, C.J., Forehand, C.R., Waggy, C.D. et al. 2022. Nocturnal light-specific temporal partitioning facilitates coexistence for a small mesopredator, the eastern spotted skunk. Journal of Ethology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-021-00743-w
LaRose, S. H., MacPherson, M. P., Lesmeister, D. B., Hackett, H. M., Perry, R. W., Sasse, D. B., and Gompper, M. E.. 2022. Predicted distribution of plains spotted skunk in Arkansas and Missouri. Journal of Wildlife Management 86: 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22165
McDonough, M., Ferguson, A., Dowler, R., Gompper, M., Maldonado, J. 2022. Phylogenomic systematics of the spotted skunks (Carnivora, Mephitidae, Spilogale): Additional species diversity and Pleistocene climate change as a major driver of diversification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107266
Detweiler, G., Harris, S., Olfenbuttel, C. & Jachowski, D. 2022. First tracking of an eastern spotted skunk litter from birth to independence. Mammalia. https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2021-0110
Thorne, ED and WM Ford. 2022. Redundancy analysis reveals complex den use patterns by eastern spotted skunks, a conditional specialist. Ecosphere: 13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3913
Study Group Activities
2022 Recipient of The Wildlife Society's Group Achievement Award
This prestigious award is given in recognition of an organization’s outstanding wildlife achievement that is consistent with and/or assists in advancing the objectives of The Wildlife Society. We thank all the study group members who have made this group grow so quickly and have such impact, and hope this recognition encourages similar groups to work collaboratively for other under-researched species.
Endorsed by the Southeastern TWS Chapter
During their March 2022 board meeting, the SETWS Executive Board approved three recommendations put forth from the SETWS's Fur Resources Committee (FRC). The SETWS Executive Board agreed with the FRC's recommendation to endorse the Eastern Spotted Skunk Conservation Plan, which was created in 2018, and updated in 2019 and 2020. This document was authored by the Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative Study Group (ESSCSG) to provide a summary of what is known about the species, identify knowledge gaps, and act as a resource for wildlife professionals, universities, and agencies. The plan is a living document and is updated periodically as research and monitoring projects are completed. In the four years that the plan has existed, it has helped guide state and federal agencies and universities on identifying research priorities and implementing recommended surveys and monitoring study designs. The SETWS Executive Board's endorsement joins that of other regional organizations, including SEAFWA, and will help the conservation plan gain increased credibility and awareness within the range of the Eastern Spotted Skunk.
2021 Virtual Study Group Meeting
A virtual study group meeting occurred on Sept. 16, 2021 hosted by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Members gave 17 presentations on various topics, most of which can be viewed on our YouTube channel.
Eastern Spotted Skunk Special Issue of the Southeastern Naturalist
In 2021, the ESSCSG collaborated with Southeastern Naturalist to publish 21 peer-reviewed papers in a special journal issue on Eastern Spotted Skunks.
2020 Study Group Meeting
The Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative Study Group meet on Feb. 13, 2020 at the 25th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network (SBDN) and 30th Annual Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern U.S. (Mammal Colloquium), in Athens, GA.
2019 Study Group Meeting
The Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative Study Group met on Feb. 22, 2019 at the 24th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network (SBDN) and 29th Annual Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern U.S. (Mammal Colloquium), in Jacksonville, FL. Issues discussed included updates on activities and the conservation plan as well as coordination on research priorities, efforts, and special publications.
2018 Symposium
During October 2018, members of the study group hosted a research symposium at the Annual Meeting of The Wildlife Society in Cleveland. The symposium was entitled "The Eastern Spotted Skunk: Multi-Regional Cooperative Efforts to Address the Decline of a Once Abundant Furbearer" and featured 10 presentations and a social.
2018 Study Group Meeting
The Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative Study Group held a meeting on the morning of Wednesday, March 28th in Roanoke, VA during the 2018 Joint Bat Working Group/Southeast Mammal Colloquium.
2017 Study Group Meeting and Research Symposium
In February 2017, an Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative Study Group meeting and a Symposium on Eastern Spotted Skunk research was held during the 2017 Annual Meetings for the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network and the Colloquium on the Conservation of Southeastern Mammals in Asheville, North Carolina.
2016 Study Group Meeting
On February 18, 2016 we held our first meeting of the eastern spotted skunk cooperative study group at the Southeastern Mammal Colloquium in Lake Guntersville, Alabama. With over 50 researchers in attendance, including nearly all folks doing active research on the species, it was a great success in terms of sharing knowledge and information on this poorly understood species.
