Dr. Dragoo, noted Mephitologist from the Museum of Southwestern Biology at the University of New Mexico, writes: "It is hard know when the skunks's color pattern developed. The fur does not fossilize. It is believed that the black and white color pattern is the early warning system for potential predators. As for the scent glands, all carnivores have them so they have probably been around since the first carnivores about 60 million years ago. Most carnivores use their scent glands for marking territory or signaling other members of the species. The glands are well developed in the Mustelidae (weasels,otters, and badgers) and they are extremely well developed in the Mephitidae (skunks).