Wolverine. Solitary Omnivore. • The wolverine is the largest member of the
weasel family. Their scientific name is Gulo gulo. • They are ferocious predators
with a ...
Wolverine • The wolverine’s scientific name is Gulo gulo. • They are the largest member of the weasel family. • They have a strong odor which they use to mark their territory. • Wolf packs sometimes hunt and kill wolverines in their territory. • They are ferocious predators with a taste for meat, and may attack weak or injured animals many times their size. • They eat some plants and berries in the summer, but are mostly meat-eaters. • They scavenge dead animals in winter and eat smaller mammals in summer. In the GBR they scavenge dead salmon. • They have a strong sense of smell and can locate dead animals 6 meters (20 feet) under the snow. • Their strong teeth and jaws can tear frozen meat and break bones. • They can take down animals many times their size and even push grizzly bears off a kill so they can scavenge it. • They have thick fur and snowshoe-like paws and don’t hibernate. • Females dig dens in winter where they give birth to 1 – 5 young. • Young wolverines are called kits and are born white as snow. Kits live with their mother for as long as 2 years. • Wolverines can live for 7 – 12 years in the wild.
Wolverine
Solitary Omnivore • Wolverines are the largest member of the weasel family. Their scientific name is Gulo gulo. • They are active day and night, sleeping and then hunting every few hours. • They have a very strong odor which they use to mark their territory. • Wolf packs have been known to hunt and kill wolverines in their territory. • They don’t hibernate, and have thick fur and snowshoe-like paws for winter living. • They are ferocious predators with a taste for meat, and may attack weak or injured animals many times their size. • They are powerful animals that have been known to take down prey many times their size and even push grizzly bears off a kill so they can scavenge it. • They scavenge dead animals in winter. Their strong teeth and jaws can tear frozen meat and break bones. • They have a strong sense of smell, and can locate dead animals 6 meters (20 feet) under the snow, allowing them to find animals killed in avalanches. • They eat some plants and berries in the summer, but are mostly meat-eaters. In summer they eat smaller mammals, and they scavenge dead salmon in the GBR. • Wolverine mating season is late spring to late summer. • Females dig dens in winter to give birth. This protects the young from the cold. They give birth to 1 – 5 young in late winter or early spring. • Young wolverines are called kits and are born white as snow. Kits live with their mother for as long as 2 years, until they are ready to breed. • They are very rare and difficult to study, so little is known about them. • Wolverines can live for 7 – 12 years in the wild.
