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Wolverine

Photo: Zefram (CC BY 2.5) via Wikimedia Commons

Wolverine

Gulo gulo (Linnaeus, 1758)

Conservation status in the wild

Not at risk

IUCN: Least concern · Red List

Encyclopaedia

What is a wolverine?

At a glance4
  1. 1

    Adult weight: around 10.6-14.8 kg.[1]

  2. 2

    Typical body length: around 65-109 cm.[2]

  3. 3

    Typical height: around 36-45 cm.[2]

  4. 4

    Typical lifespan: around 8-10 years (in the wild).[2]

Overviewnone yet
Origins and historynone yet
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Healthnone yet
Common questionsnone yet
Fun facts7 facts
  1. 1

    Wolverines have a special upper molar twisted 90 degrees inward, which helps them tear meat off prey or carrion that is frozen solid.[2]

  2. 2

    Wolverines have been recorded killing prey many times their own size, such as adult deer, despite being about the size of a medium dog.[2]

  3. 3

    Mother wolverines dig a den into the snow in February and use it until their kits are weaned in mid-May.[2]

  4. 4

    Wolverines have super water-repellent, oily fur that resists frost, so hunters once prized it as a lining for Arctic parkas.[2]

  5. 5

    Wolverines often stash food in caches during times of plenty, which helps mothers get through scarce winter and early spring days.[2]

Sources2
  1. [1]Wikidata (CC0-1.0)
  2. [2]Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

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Wolverine guides

Protecting and staying safe around a wolverine

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Not veterinary advice. General information about this animal. If you find one injured or in trouble, contact a wildlife rescue or the RSPCA rather than handling it yourself.