Recent Detections of<i>Spilogale putorius</i>(Eastern Spotted Skunk) in South Carolina

Wilson, Sarah Beth; Colquhoun, Rob; Klink, Amy C.; Lanini, Taz; Riggs, Sarah; Simpson, B.C.; Williams, A B; Jachowski, David S.

doi:10.1656/058.015.0207

Cited by 19 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…This suggests that surveys for eastern spotted skunks that monitor sites for <1 month might produce underestimates of true occupancy rates. Indeed, recent sustained and dedicated efforts to identify persisting populations of eastern spotted skunks within the core of their historical range have been successful at detecting the species (Wilson et al , Thorne et al , Sprayberry and Edelman ). Given the current conservation attention being given to this species and uncertainty about its distribution in most states throughout its historical range (Eastern Spotted Skunk Cooperative Study Group ), our results emphasize the need for additional dedicated survey efforts to evaluate how widely distributed spotted skunks are throughout the remainder of their historical range.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Between January and April 2016 we surveyed 18 sites continuously for 3 months, and between January and April 2017 we surveyed 27 sites continuously for 3 months. Recent detections of spotted skunks in the Appalachian Mountains have been primarily limited to higher elevation (>350 m) sites (Diggins et al 2015, Wilson et al 2016, we therefore selected sites that were stratified by elevation to capture potential differences in topographic or vegetative conditions associated with elevation. We then created random points within our 5 elevational strata such that sampling points were ≥1.5 km from each other.…”

Section: Field Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Camera trap technology has advanced greatly in the past decade and become a popular, cost‐efficient, and effective way to monitor and investigate cryptic and highly mobile species over large areas (Burton et al ), including recent studies of eastern spotted skunks. Reported detection and capture rates of eastern spotted skunks are typically low and rely on the use of baited monitoring stations to obtain even sparse records of detection (Hackett et al , Wilson et al , Thorne et al 2017). It remains unclear if these low detection rates are the product of truly low species abundance, or simply the cryptic nature of this species.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Historically eastern spotted skunks were common on homestead farms throughout the Midwest (DeSanty ), and the Florida subspecies ( S. p. ambarvalis ) has recently been reported to be abundant in the dry prairie ecosystems of central Florida (Harris ). Thus, biologists still have a poor understanding of habitat associations and factors influencing the current distribution of eastern spotted skunks, particularly in the southern Appalachian portion of their range (Wilson et al ).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Evaluating detection and occupancy probabilities of eastern spotted skunks

Eng

Jachowski

2019

J Wildl Manag

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The eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) is a poorly understood mesocarnivore species that suffered a range‐wide decline in the mid‐1900s. Little is known about its current distribution or habitat needs, and in the southern Appalachians, where the Carolinas and Georgia converge, eastern spotted skunks were only recently discovered to persist. From January–April in 2016 and 2017, we used camera trap surveys to monitor eastern spotted skunks and used occupancy modeling to evaluate factors we hypothesized would influence the probability of spotted skunk detection and occurrence at the landscape scale. We detected spotted skunks at 55.6% of our sites and on 18.5% of sampling occasions. Our results suggest that detection probability was influenced by predation risk, camera setup, and the type of scent‐based attractant used. Eastern spotted skunk occupancy probability had a negative relationship with elevation, such that the probability of occupancy on average increased 7% for every 100‐m decrease in elevation. These results differ from previous findings from the northern Appalachian region, and suggest spotted skunks in the southern Appalachians may be more widely distributed than previously thought. To inform management, there remains a critical need for finer‐scale investigations into resource selection and demographic trends. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Field Methodsmentioning

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Evaluating detection and occupancy probabilities of eastern spotted skunks

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Jachowski

2019

J Wildl Manag

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“…In the Blue Ridge portion of the southern Appalachians of Tennessee, spotted skunk populations have been associated with rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) thickets near high elevation emergent rock outcrops (Reed and Kennedy 2000). Similarly, in South Carolina, spotted skunks were detected predominantly in areas of mixed softwood-hardwood forest containing dense understory (Wilson et al 2016). In the central Appalachians of West Virginia and Virginia, spotted skunks have been incidentally captured during surveys of other rare Appalachian wildlife near emergent rock outcrops (Webster et al 1985) and in a high elevation red spruce (Picea rubens) forest .…”

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Winter habitat associations of eastern spotted skunks in Virginia

et al. 2017

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Eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) populations have declined throughout much of their range in the eastern United States over recent decades. Declines have been attributed to habitat loss or change, increased competition with sympatric mesocarnivore species, or disease. To better understand the extant distribution of spotted skunks in the Appalachian Mountains of western Virginia, USA, we used a detection‐non‐detection sampling approach using baited camera traps to evaluate the influence of landscape‐level environmental covariates on spotted skunk detection probability and site occupancy. We conducted camera trap surveys at 91 sites from January to May in 2014 and 2015. Spotted skunk occupancy was associated with young‐aged forest stands at lower elevations and more mature forest stands at higher elevations. Both land cover types in this region can be characterized as having complex forest structure, providing cover that varies with stand age, species composition, elevation, and management regime. Our results provide insight into factors that influence spotted skunk spatial distribution and habitat selection, information that can be used to generate conservation assessments and inform management decisions. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.

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Predicted distribution of plains spotted skunk in Arkansas and Missouri

et al. 2022

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The plains spotted skunk (Spilogale interrupta) is of conservation concern because of widespread population declines and is being considered for listing under the United States Endangered Species Act. Although the taxon is relatively rare and difficult to study, recent research and reports provided some information about spotted skunks in Arkansas and Missouri, USA. Using this information, we employed full and simplified multivariate species distribution models to evaluate cover type associations and identify regions of high predicted presence for plains spotted skunks. The simple model contained percent forest and percent development within 5 km, land cover category, and distance to water. Percent forest within 5 km was the most important variable based on permutation importance in both models, indicating that plains spotted skunk habitat may persist in contiguous forest at the landscape scale. Regions predicted to have high presence occurred in northern, western, and southern Arkansas and southern Missouri, totaling >300,000 ha. The resulting plains spotted skunk distribution map can be used for research and management efforts in areas of high probability of occurrence, and future statewide survey efforts may validate our results.

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Recent Detections ofSpilogale putorius(Eastern Spotted Skunk) in South Carolina

Cited by 19 publications

References 12 publications

Evaluating detection and occupancy probabilities of eastern spotted skunks

Evaluating detection and occupancy probabilities of eastern spotted skunks

Winter habitat associations of eastern spotted skunks in Virginia

Predicted distribution of plains spotted skunk in Arkansas and Missouri

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