Often likened to small bears, wolverines are the largest members of the weasel family. Adults range in length from 29 to 32 inches measured from nose to rump. A bushy tail adds another 7 to 9 inches in length. Males can weigh more than 30 pounds.
Females are smaller.
Wolverines are compact and strongly built with short necks, broad, flattened heads and powerful jaws. Carrying their heads and tails lower than their backs, wolverines move with a lumbering gait. Their rich, brown fur has yellowish-brown stripes extending from the shoulders along the sides to the base of the tail. The fur on their heads is also light brown, with the exception of a black muzzle. Wolverine fur sheds moisture.