A Greedy Reputation
Wolverines will eat whenever they have the chance, so it is no wonder their scientific name comes from the Latin word for “glutton”. Skilled opportunist hunters, they prey on small mammals and scavenge dead animals.
Wolverine
Gulo gulo
Status
Least Concern
Activity Period
Varies
Classification
Mammal
Habitat
Wolverines are well adapted for snow and are found in cold, high-elevation environments. They inhabit remote boreal, alpine, and tundra habitats.
Range
In the United States, they are found across Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, and Alaska. They also live in Canada, Russia, and Scandinavia.
Life Expectancy
Median age expectancy under human care is 13 years.
Diet
During the summer, wolverines eat voles, squirrels, hares, and birds. In the winter when food is more scarce, they rely heavily on carrion (dead animals). Wolverines have also been known to take down much larger mammals - like moose - under the right conditions.
Social Structure
Wolverines are solitary and territorial. Males have been observed to reunite with the mothers of their young [kits] periodically to help raise them.
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