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![]() Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul-smelling odor. General appearance ranges from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora. There are 10 species of skunks, which are divided into four genera: Mephitis (hooded and striped skunks, two species), Spilogale (spotted skunks, two species), Mydaus (stink badgers, two species), and Conepatus (hog-nosed skunks, four species). The two skunk species in the Mydaus genus inhabit Indonesia and the Philippines; all other skunks inhabit the Americas from Canada to central South America.
Skunks were classified as a subfamily within the family Mustelidae, which includes ferrets, weasels, otters, badgers, and relatives. However, recent genetic evidence suggests that the skunks are not as closely related to the mustelids as previously thought; they are now classified in their own family.
Skunk species vary in size from about 15.6 to 37 inches (40 to 94 cm) and in weight from about 1.1 pounds (0.50 kg) (the spotted skunks) to 18 pounds (8.2 kg) (the hog-nosed skunks). They have a moderately elongated body with relatively short, well-muscled legs, and long front claws for digging.
Although the most common fur color is black and white, some skunks are brown or grey a few are cream-colored. All skunks are striped, even from birth. They may have a single thick stripe across back and tail, two thinner stripes, or a series of white spots and broken stripes (in the case of the spotted skunk). Some also have stripes on their legs.
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![]() Pepe
Skunk
Handmade in Italy
17.7 inches / 45 centimeters
Item #2654
$ 175.00
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![]() About Piutrè
Welcome to the Piutrè Animal Collection, the finest collection of realistic stuffed animals in the world. Originally designed in Italy by master toy artisan Riccardo Chiavetta, the animals in the Piutrè Collection faithfully replicate their real-life counterparts in form, coloring, dimensions, and expression. Each piece is sewn, shaped, and finished entirely by hand in Italy, using the finest European-made materials, resulting in a beautiful keepsake animal to treasure for a lifetime.
All of the animals in the Piutrè Collection are made with fire-retardant fabrics and stuffed with pure acrylic fibers; therefore, they are hygienic and washable. The synthetic, soft-to-the-touch plush is true to life, and each piece is hand-trimmed and hand-finished for an exceptional degree of realism. The eyes and nose of each animal are extraordinarily lifelike, too—and, of course, safety-anchored.
A Legend Reborn . . .
These astonishingly realistic animals are hand-made in Italy using the original patterns and models created by Riccardo Chiavetta in the late 1970s and early 1980s for Jockline, an Italian firm that came to be known the world over for its highly realistic—often life-size—plush renditions of dogs, cats, and other animals. Many of the Jockline animals were marketed in the United States under the Avanti trade name, though in later years Wallace Berrie Company, Inc., shifted production of some of the Jockline-designed animals to Korea. Jockline failed in 1991. The Italian-made Jockline animals from this era are highly prized by collectors.
Today, in Italy, the family that made the original Jockline animals is doing so once again, with the same uncompromising artistry and craftsmanship. A highly skilled artist is responsible for each animal and personally sees each one—from the tiniest mouse to life-size polar bears—through all the exacting details of the production process. Only when an artist is completely satisfied that a Piutré animal has been superbly executed does he or she tag and package it—in essence, a gift to the individual who will ultimately touch and treasure it.
This is your chance to acquire an irresistible treasure that’s destined to be enjoyed and appreciated for generations to come.
Extraordinary. Exquisite. And exclusively yours.
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