Creatures not heaven scent

SKUNK owner Emily Tilbrook, 26, is "heartbroken" after her beloved pet went missing, as the Daily Star revealed yesterday.

- MEG JORSH

The critters are known for their powerful pong - and it's illegal to remove their scent glands.

But the skunk's not the only animal to weaponise its body odour. Here MEG JORSH holds her nose for a look at some of nature's biggest stinkers...

Claws for thought

They might look cool when Hugh Jackman's involved, but a real wolverine would smell absolutely shocking.

The carnivore, found in Canada and northern Europe, uses pungent anal secretions to mark territory and attract a mate. The habit has earned it the nicknames of "skunk bear" and "nasty cat.

Out of odour

The hoatzin, also known as the "stink bird", is a walking compost heap that produces a smell like manure.

It's all to do with the critter's unique digestive system.

Found in parts of South America, it lives on a diet of leaves, which it breaks down in its gut using bacterial fermentation.