I should arguably clarify my title and make mention of the fact that when I say Wolverine, I mean the animal, not the character Hugh Jackman plays in X-Men. Not to say Wolverine from X-Men isn’t an impressive, admirable lad – he is, and I would be curious to see a fight between him and an actual Wolverine, come to think of it.
Anyways, today we are discussing Wolverines, and ever since seeing them on Alone, I’ve wanted to learn more about them myself. The following information comes from onekindplanet.org.
- “The Wolverine is a rare and poorly understood animal that lives in the remote Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of the world, where it preys on small and large mammals or scavenges on the kills of others. Its scientific name means ‘glutton’ which is likely to be due to their rapacious appetite and single-mindedness.
- “Their name would suggest that they belong to the dog family, yet their appearance suggests they could be related to bears. In fact, the Wolverine is the largest, and the most fearsome, member of the weasel family!
- “The Wolverine has a specially adapted thick, dense and oily fur coat which is highly hydrophobic (meaning that it resists water, like water off a duck’s back!), making it capable of resting in the barest of shelter in the harshest of conditions.
- “… The wolverine will vigorously defend its large territory against other wolverines that dare to encroach on its space. To warn others of its presence, a wolverine will discharge a strong-smelling fluid called musk from specially adapted anal glands under its tail.
- “As they are relatively slow, lumbering animals with short legs, wolverines do not chase or stalk prey. Instead, they usually lie hidden in the trees or behind rocks and then pounce on their prey,” the web page explains.
Check back tomorrow for more information about these mysterious critters.
ontheedgeofeverything 