Here's why:
* Diet: Muskrats are herbivores and omnivores, meaning they primarily eat plants and some small invertebrates. Their diet includes aquatic plants, grasses, roots, and occasionally insects, snails, and small fish.
* Skunks as prey: Skunks are predators and possess a strong defense mechanism – their spray. They are not typically considered prey for animals like muskrats.
* Size and defense: Skunks are larger than muskrats and have a strong musky odor that deters predators.
While muskrats might scavenge on a dead skunk, they would not actively hunt and eat a live skunk.