Wolverine

The wolverine or glutton (Gulo gulo) is the largest member of the Mustelidae family (the weasels). It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more like a small bear than other mustelids. The wolverine, a solitary animal, has a reputation for ferocity, and can kill prey many times larger than itself. It is a powerful and versatile predator and scavenger.

There is a clear difference between two subspecies: the Old World form Gulo gulo gulo and the New World form G. g. luscus.

The male is about  tall, the female . Their length ranges from  (female) to  (male) and they reach a weight of around . Their tail measures about . Their brown fur protects them from the extremely cold temperatures and their big feet enable them to walk on top of snow.

Distribution

Wolverines feed on almost every type of food that they can find: mice, rats, birds, bird eggs, reindeer and other large prey. Wolverines prefer to hunt larger prey in winter, when the snow slows down the prey and gives the wolverine an advantage.

Wolverines are highly territorial. Wolverines reproduce every two or three years. The female gives birth to one to three young (called kits) in a tunnel called a den deep underneath snowdrifts.

 Protection 
Humans are the wolverine’s main enemy. The wolverine’s thick, warm fur is used to manufacture the trim of a parka's hood or other winter clothes, as the dense guard hairs do not collect frost.

In February 2013, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service proposed giving Endangered Species Act protections to the wolverine largely because climate change (global warming) is whittling away its wintry habitat in the northern Rockies.U.S. proposes to protect wolverines February 1, 2013 New York TimesJudge Prods Wildlife Service on Protection for Wolverines April 7, 2016 Wolverines have poor eyesight but a keen sense of smell, they can smell prey 20 feet under the snow.

 References 


Category:Mustelids
Category:Mammals of Asia
Category:Mammals of Europe
Category:Mammals of North America