Wolverine Animal Facts
The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is one of North America's most elusive mammals. Though it is the largest land member of the weasel family, wolverines look more like small bears. They have been called skunk bears and devil bears, but the origins of their common name are unknown. Despite their similar names, wolverines are not related to wolves. Biologist Bob Inman of the Greater Yellowstone Wolverine Program called them the "least-understood, least-studied carnivore in the lower 48."
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Habitat
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Wolverines live in the arctic and subarctic of Alaska and Canada, as well as high elevations in the northern Cascade and Rocky Mountains. They once occupied the northern states and all of the Rockies but fur trappers and planned eradication removed the species by 1900. In 2009, the Wildlife Conservation Society tracked one radio-collared wolverine from Grand Teton National Park who traveled as far south as Colorado. It marked the first time a wild wolverine was seen in the state in nearly 100 years.
Description
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Dark brown to black dense fur protect wolverines from cold and frost. A horseshoe-shaped white or goldish stripe marks their backs. Their short legs hold up thick bodies and broad heads with short, furred ears. Their snowshoe-like feet are well adapted to their often snowy habitat. They have long, curved claws and teeth sharp enough to chew frozen meat. Males can weigh from 20 to 45 pounds, while females fall between 15 and 30 pounds.
Diet
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Its scientific name, Gulo gulo, means glutton. Wolverine are primarily scavengers, relying upon moose or caribou carcasses abandoned by wolves or humans, or that died of natural causes. They prey upon small mammals, such as voles, squirrels and snowshoe hares, as well as birds. Wolverine have been known to take larger prey, though this is considered rare.
Behavior
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Wolverine are solitary creatures. They maintain home ranges and will defend their territory against smaller animals. A male's range is typically 240 square miles while females occupy a range of 50 to 100 square miles. Males allow some female overlap on their range, but will not share with other males who occupy adjacent territory. Recently, Wildlife Conservation Society scientists discovered that wolverine are expanding territory due to food shortages. One male held a range of 500 square miles.
Protection
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Wolverine habitat is threatened by development, resource extraction, and warming temperatures. Because their home ranges are so expansive, wolverine need vast tracts of land to survive. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem preserves such spaces as national parks, national forests, wilderness areas and wildlife corridors. Although wolverine may live to 12 years of age, their average life span in the wild is only 5 to 7 years. Hunting is allowed, regulated with seasons and limits. Most wolverine die from starvation, predation by wolves or human trapping.
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- Photo Credit Photo by Jeffrey C. Lewis, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
