The Wolverine

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The Wolverine
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Adult

Kit

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General Information;
Type: Mammal
Diet: Omnivore
Size: Head and body, 24 to 34 in (66 to 86 cm); Tail, 7 to 10 in (18 to 25 cm)
Weight: 24 to 40 Ibs (11 to 18 kg)
Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Mammalia, Order: Carnivora, Family: Mustelidae
Conservation Status:

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

# Wolverine Range


The wolverine, also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae (weasels). It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids. The wolverine has a reputation for ferocity and strength out of proportion to its size, with the documented ability to kill prey many times its size. This is a powerful animal that resembles a small bear but is actually the largest member of the weasel family. These tough animals are solitary, and they need a lot of room to roam. Individual wolverines may travel 15 miles (24 kilometers) in a day in search of food. Because of these habitat requirements, wolverines frequent remote boreal forests, taiga, and tundra in the northern latitudes of Europe, Asia, and North America.
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Physical Features;
The wolverine is a stocky and muscular animal. With short legs, broad and rounded head, and small eyes with short rounded ears, it resembles a bear more than other mustelids. Its legs are short, while its large five-toed paws and plantigrade posture facilitate movement through deep snow. The adult wolverine is about the size of a medium dog, with a length usually ranging from 65–107 cm (26–42 in), a tail of 17–26 cm (6.7–10 in), and a weight of 9–25 kg (20–55 lb), though exceptionally large males can weigh up to 32 kg (71 lb). The males are as much as 30% larger than the females and can be twice the female's weight. Wolverines have thick, dark, oily fur which is highly hydrophobic, making it resistant to frost. A light silvery facial mask is distinct in some individuals, and a pale buff stripe runs laterally from the shoulders along the side and crossing the rump just above a 25–35 cm (9.8–14 in) bushy tail. Some individuals display prominent white hair patches on the throat or chest.
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Mental Features;
While generally nocturnal, wolverines will forage during the day if need be. They are also capable of altering their sleeping pattern to accommodate for areas of extended daylight or darkness, sleeping for 4 hours, then being awake for 4 hours. The wolverine has bad eyesight but a very good sense of smell.
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Diet;
Wolverines eat a bit of vegetarian fare, like plants and berries, in the summer season, but this does not make up a major part of their diet—they are tenacious predators with a taste for meat. Wolverines easily dispatch smaller prey, such as rabbits and rodents, but may even attack animals many times their size, such as caribou, if the prey appears to be weak or injured. These opportunistic eaters also feed on carrion—the corpses of larger mammals, such as elk, deer, and caribou. Such finds sustain them in winter when other prey may be thinner on the ground, though they have also been known to dig into burrows and eat hibernating mammals.
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Wolf vs. Wolverine;
The relationship between wolves and wolverines is more of a 'love-hate relationship'. Wolverines have been known to feed on carrion left by wolves, so changes in the population of wolves can effectively have an impact on wolverines. However, while wolverines have dominated wolves in competitions over a carcass, some wolves become habituated to predating wolverines and, in such cases, wolves may lead to a complete absence of wolverines in a given area. In terms of an actual conflict, in a one-on-one situation, the wolverine is likely to win due to its brute strength and edurance capacity, whereas the wolf lacks this brute strength. However, if a conflict occured against a wolverine and a pack of wolves, then it is likely that the wolves will take the victory as they would have the power of numbers (however, it would depend as to how many wolves were in the pack, as wolverines have been witnessed to take on more than one wolf to defend carrion).
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Credits (c);

Images:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/karljonsson/6070231817/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiskfisk/2672927708/

Information:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wolverine/?source=A-to-Z
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolverine
http://roberta-goli.suite101.com/wolverine-facts-and-behaviour-gulo-gulo-a281519
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