Wolverines are the largest members of the weasel family and have a reputation of being pretty fierce and aggressive, like badgers. They also are known for being loners. Because of where they live in remote northern forest areas, they have not been widely studied, but this program showed that they are much more family oriented than originally believed, and have a definite playful side.
Source: irreplaceablewild.org
A lot of the program showed filmmaker Steve Kroschel raising a couple of wolverine kits after their mother died. They were so cute. But as they got older they needed a lot of room to roam and play. They definitely had a huge amount of energy like so many youngsters.
It was mentioned that the territory of adult wolverines can be up to 500 square miles. This is one reason why they may be in trouble if habitats are fragmented. That said, wolverines have been seen recently in areas where they haven't lived in a hundred years or more, like Michigan, Colorado, and the Sierra Nevada. They are also found in Glacier National Park, but the largest populations are found in remote areas of Alaska and Canada, and northern regions of Asia and Europe.
Source: tigertailfoods.com
Wolverines eat small rodents and rabbits, will eat carrion, and try to take down much larger prey such as caribou if it is sick or injured or steal a meal from almost any other animal. Their scientific name, Gulo gulo, literally means glutton. They also have thick, beautiful fur that is impervious to frost and they were once trapped and hunted for its luxurious coat.
I was so glad I caught that show. It gave me a whole new perspective about wolverines.
No comments:
Post a Comment