Molina’s Hog-nosed Skunk is mainly nocturnal and solitary (Donadio et al. 2001). It is a generalist feeder, using a wide variety of items, including arthropods (particularly Coleoptera larvae), vertebrates (as carrion) and some plant material (Travaini et al. 1998, Donadio et al. 2004). Its home range seems to be highly variable between sexes and areas, with 243 ha for males and 120 ha for females in grassland from Argentina (Castillo et al. 2011a), 194-195 ha for males and females in northwestern Patagonia (Donadio et al. 2001) and 255 ha for males and 100 ha for females in southern Brazil (Kasper et al. 2012b). During rest periods, it prefers the seclusion offered by shrub forests and rocky slope areas (Donadio et al. 2001). Most dens are found in underground burrows on areas with high shrubs and grass cover (Castillo et al. 2011b).

The species is found in mid to southern South America. It occurs from southern Peru through Bolivia south to Uruguay, western Paraguay, and southern Chile and Argentina. The species has been also observed in various localities in South Brazil: São Paulo (de Vivo and Gregorin 2001); at south São Paulo and Paraná (Cáceres 2004); at eastern Paraná and eastern Santa Catarina (Cimardi 1996, Cherem et al. 2007); and Rio Grande do Sul (dos Santos et al. 2004, Kasper et al. 2012a, 2012b).

Suggested actions needed to reverse the decline of native species living in the Patagonian steppe include: prevent new introductions; create protected areas in the Patagonian steppe where livestock are excluded and the ecological role of native large fauna is restored; study other consequences of the introduction of exotic species and the ecological extinction of native ones (Novaro et al. 2000). It is also considered necessary to include species of Conepatus in CITES Appendix II in order to obtain data on the trade in the different species, to estimate the exploitation level, and to enforce a better control of the exports, and to avoid cases where one of the species can be exported under the name of any of the other species (IUCN/SSC Mustelid, Viverrid and Procyonid Specialist Group 1992).