Wolverines
Why don’t we see more Wolverines?
In the following pages you will learn more about this elusive creature
and their fight for survival. It’s
very difficult to study Wolverines because they are remote and always moving.
The Wolverine is called Gulo Gulo, which means glutton. They are also referred to as Carcajou,
Devil Bear, Woods Bear or Skunk Bear.
Wolverines are the least known mammals in North America, and are the
least studied omnivores in the world.
They are the largest land-dwelling species of the weasel family
and descended from the Ice Age Weasel.
It actually resembles a small bear.
The Wolverine gives off a deep rumble or growl to sound
intimidating. The males usually weigh 20 to 45 pounds and are about 3 feet
long. The females weigh about 15
to 30 pounds. Most attain adult
size and weight within the first year.
The male can be as much as 30% larger than the female. Each
wolverine has a chest pattern as unique as a
fingerprint.
Wolverines have a stocky build, large head, short tail, small
ears, and powerful limbs. They
have large claws that slightly curve at the end of each of the five toes. They are powerful swimmers.
Their legs are ten inches long and they are able to climb mountains and
trees or go almost anywhere.
However, they are reluctant to cross large
openings.
They are very good climbers and are known to inhabit the
mountains of Glacier National Park in Montana, although they are less common
this far south. They once were as
far south as New Mexico but today they have retreated to the Rockies. There may be as few as 500 in the lower
48 states, which includes Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and
Washington.
The settlers moving west caused hardship on the Wolverine.
Wolverines disappeared from the lower 48 because of trapping,
poisoning, and larger predators.
They are mostly scattered across the far north, such as Alaska, Canada,
Scandinavia, and Siberia to name a few.
It’s estimated that Canada has over 15,000
Wolverines.
Wolverines do not hibernate. They have long, dense brownish-black
fur with light brown stripes along the sides; which distinguishes it from the
badger. Their fur coat is oily
and resists water and frost. They
are virtually immune to the cold.
When they lay on the snow they don’t melt it.
That’s how good their insulation is.
They can get across deep snow where other animals would struggle.
Their paws are almost the size of a human hand and they act as
snowshoes. They like places where
deep snow stays until May or June.
They have poor eyesight, but their hearing and smelling are
strong. They can smell a carcass
buried 30 feet deep in the snow.
They will eat animals that die in avalanches.
They navigate by memory and markings.
They are not afraid of much. They can take down a mountain goat, big
horned sheep, and a full grown moose.
They will fight wolfs and cougars over food, and won’t back down even
from a grizzly bear.
They eat bones for oils and fats.
They are called “Glutton”, but actually don’t eat more than they
need. They are opportunistic
feeders. They follow larger mammals
when they hunt, and after the larger animal kills its prey, the wolverine scares
or chases it away and eats the prey.
They
generally eat mice, rats, and other small mammals.
They also eat vegetation.
They can survive long periods on little food.
They also like to play with their food.
T heir jaws can crush bones. Their sharp teeth and powerful jaws
allow them to eat through frozen meat.
They will jump from high places and land on prey, breaking their bones or
severing vital organs. There is
very little chance that they will attack a man unless he appears hurt or weak
and the wolverine is hungry.
They can run up to 30 mph, and can run at a near constant 4 mph
no matter what the terrain. They
will run or stand, but not necessarily walk. They can cover 20 miles in a day. A male wolverine patrols an area about
500 square miles, females 100 square miles.
Wolverines are very territorial. If they
can’t finish their food they spray it with musk and bury it for later. They mark territory with scent glands
that also signal the opposite sex.
Although branded with
the stereotype of being man-eating and vicious, but they are actually sociable,
bright, and can figure things out.
They are playful very energetic.
Wolverines are very family oriented. Their
home turf is larger than a grizzly bear’s area. All land belongs to just 1 male and 2
or 3 females. Males usually take
several mates. They travel from
female to female raising each group of kits. Baby wolverines are called kits.
Females choose den sites that hold deep snow to make sure that the kits stay
insulated. The caves contain one
or two tunnels of up to 60 yards long.
Mating season is from May to August.
After mating, the embryo floats in the uterus until late fall or early
winter. This is known as delayed
implantation.
The kits are born in the snow caves.
They are born blind and weigh less than one pound.
Moms lick around the kits faces to make sure that there is no
mess.
They are weaned at 8 weeks. They stay in their parent’s territory
for the first year and learn from them.
They are sexually mature at age two. Getting wolverines to breed in
captivity is notoriously difficult.
Out of 11 wolverines born in captivity only 1
survives.
Their average life span is about 5 to 7 years in the wild and
about 12 to 13 years in captivity.
This is because their fur is used for coats, and because of the warmth of
the fur; Wolverines became victims of the fur hunters.
Montana and Alaska still allow
trapping.
Many have died from poison that was left for wolves.
The wolverine is one of the most endangered big animals in Europe. Their habitat decreases because of
natural resource extraction and increased development.
They are also threatened by the climate change to their
habitat. As the temperatures rise,
their range shrinks. Their dens are
also threatened by snowmobilers and back country
skiers.
Scientist track them through the snow to gather information that
will give us more information on population, birth rate, threat types, and
habitat issues.
*animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wolverine
*wolverinefoundation.org/wolverine-identification
*www.blueplanetbiomes.org/wolverine.htm
*www.scientificamerican.com
Why don’t we see more Wolverines?
In the following pages you will learn more about this elusive creature
and their fight for survival. It’s
very difficult to study Wolverines because they are remote and always moving.
The Wolverine is called Gulo Gulo, which means glutton. They are also referred to as Carcajou,
Devil Bear, Woods Bear or Skunk Bear.
Wolverines are the least known mammals in North America, and are the
least studied omnivores in the world.
They are the largest land-dwelling species of the weasel family
and descended from the Ice Age Weasel.
It actually resembles a small bear.
The Wolverine gives off a deep rumble or growl to sound
intimidating. The males usually weigh 20 to 45 pounds and are about 3 feet
long. The females weigh about 15
to 30 pounds. Most attain adult
size and weight within the first year.
The male can be as much as 30% larger than the female. Each
wolverine has a chest pattern as unique as a
fingerprint.
Wolverines have a stocky build, large head, short tail, small
ears, and powerful limbs. They
have large claws that slightly curve at the end of each of the five toes. They are powerful swimmers.
Their legs are ten inches long and they are able to climb mountains and
trees or go almost anywhere.
However, they are reluctant to cross large
openings.
They are very good climbers and are known to inhabit the
mountains of Glacier National Park in Montana, although they are less common
this far south. They once were as
far south as New Mexico but today they have retreated to the Rockies. There may be as few as 500 in the lower
48 states, which includes Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and
Washington.
The settlers moving west caused hardship on the Wolverine.
Wolverines disappeared from the lower 48 because of trapping,
poisoning, and larger predators.
They are mostly scattered across the far north, such as Alaska, Canada,
Scandinavia, and Siberia to name a few.
It’s estimated that Canada has over 15,000
Wolverines.
Wolverines do not hibernate. They have long, dense brownish-black
fur with light brown stripes along the sides; which distinguishes it from the
badger. Their fur coat is oily
and resists water and frost. They
are virtually immune to the cold.
When they lay on the snow they don’t melt it.
That’s how good their insulation is.
They can get across deep snow where other animals would struggle.
Their paws are almost the size of a human hand and they act as
snowshoes. They like places where
deep snow stays until May or June.
They have poor eyesight, but their hearing and smelling are
strong. They can smell a carcass
buried 30 feet deep in the snow.
They will eat animals that die in avalanches.
They navigate by memory and markings.
They are not afraid of much. They can take down a mountain goat, big
horned sheep, and a full grown moose.
They will fight wolfs and cougars over food, and won’t back down even
from a grizzly bear.
They eat bones for oils and fats.
They are called “Glutton”, but actually don’t eat more than they
need. They are opportunistic
feeders. They follow larger mammals
when they hunt, and after the larger animal kills its prey, the wolverine scares
or chases it away and eats the prey.
They
generally eat mice, rats, and other small mammals.
They also eat vegetation.
They can survive long periods on little food.
They also like to play with their food.
T heir jaws can crush bones. Their sharp teeth and powerful jaws
allow them to eat through frozen meat.
They will jump from high places and land on prey, breaking their bones or
severing vital organs. There is
very little chance that they will attack a man unless he appears hurt or weak
and the wolverine is hungry.
They can run up to 30 mph, and can run at a near constant 4 mph
no matter what the terrain. They
will run or stand, but not necessarily walk. They can cover 20 miles in a day. A male wolverine patrols an area about
500 square miles, females 100 square miles.
Wolverines are very territorial. If they
can’t finish their food they spray it with musk and bury it for later. They mark territory with scent glands
that also signal the opposite sex.
Although branded with
the stereotype of being man-eating and vicious, but they are actually sociable,
bright, and can figure things out.
They are playful very energetic.
Wolverines are very family oriented. Their
home turf is larger than a grizzly bear’s area. All land belongs to just 1 male and 2
or 3 females. Males usually take
several mates. They travel from
female to female raising each group of kits. Baby wolverines are called kits.
Females choose den sites that hold deep snow to make sure that the kits stay
insulated. The caves contain one
or two tunnels of up to 60 yards long.
Mating season is from May to August.
After mating, the embryo floats in the uterus until late fall or early
winter. This is known as delayed
implantation.
The kits are born in the snow caves.
They are born blind and weigh less than one pound.
Moms lick around the kits faces to make sure that there is no
mess.
They are weaned at 8 weeks. They stay in their parent’s territory
for the first year and learn from them.
They are sexually mature at age two. Getting wolverines to breed in
captivity is notoriously difficult.
Out of 11 wolverines born in captivity only 1
survives.
Their average life span is about 5 to 7 years in the wild and
about 12 to 13 years in captivity.
This is because their fur is used for coats, and because of the warmth of
the fur; Wolverines became victims of the fur hunters.
Montana and Alaska still allow
trapping.
Many have died from poison that was left for wolves.
The wolverine is one of the most endangered big animals in Europe. Their habitat decreases because of
natural resource extraction and increased development.
They are also threatened by the climate change to their
habitat. As the temperatures rise,
their range shrinks. Their dens are
also threatened by snowmobilers and back country
skiers.
Scientist track them through the snow to gather information that
will give us more information on population, birth rate, threat types, and
habitat issues.
*animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wolverine
*wolverinefoundation.org/wolverine-identification
*www.blueplanetbiomes.org/wolverine.htm
*www.scientificamerican.com
