Conservation status of the eastern spotted skunk Spilogale putorius in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee

The conservation status of the eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) was assessed in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee from November 1995 through June 1997. Population status and seasonal abundance were examined using live-trapping on an 8 x 8 grid in Monroe County. Relative abundance was assessed at selected sites in Blount, Greene, Monroe, Unicoi and Washington counties employing additional live-trapping methods. In 5723 trap-nights only four S. putorius were captured (trap-success rate = 0.07%). The most common mammals captured were the opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and the raccoon (Procyon lotor). All eastern spotted skunks were captured in rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.) thickets near streams. A program to monitor the status of the species in the Appalachians is recommended as a management measure