10/15/2026
Hershey is a chocolate skunk, so instead of black fur with white stripes, he has brown fur with cream stripes! This color pattern is rare in wild populations because dark black and white fur acts as a clear warning signal to predators, so it's not a coloration that would help the skunk survive over its peers. Chocolate color morphs like this are common in captive bred skunks though because breeders can charge more for the "rare" colors, so they will intentionally breed to get those colors. Hershey was originally bought as a pet from a breeder before he came to us, so his coloration makes sense. Because he is not a "wild" skunk, he cannot legally be released back to the wild and is now one of our educational ambassadors.
Skunks are excellent to have around because they eat insects, grubs, beetles, small rodents, bird eggs, fruits, and plant matter. Some species are even immune to the venom of pit vipers! Because they dig for grubs and hunt rodents, they act as natural pest control for gardens and lawns. In fact, if they come upon a nest of ground wasps, they'll dig up the whole nest and eat them all! 🤯🐝🦨
