Wolverine: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Weasels and Badgers · day 1 of 7

Five facts

1. Wolverines mostly hunt small and medium mammals, but they have killed animals many times their own size, such as adult deer.
2. A wolverine's special upper molar is turned 90 degrees, so it can tear meat off prey or carrion that has frozen solid.
3. Wolverines track wolves and lynx to feed on the leftovers of their meals.
4. In February, a female wolverine digs a den into the snow and uses it until her young are weaned in mid-May.
5. Wolverines mate in summer, but the embryo's implantation is held back until early winter, delaying the fetus's development.

The quiz

1. What have wolverines been recorded killing?

• Only mice and voles
• Prey many times larger than themselves (correct)
• Only birds
• Nothing but carrion

They mostly eat small and medium mammals, yet they have taken down far bigger animals, like adult deer.

2. What does a wolverine's turned upper molar let it do?

• Crack open nuts
• Climb trees
• Dig through ice
• Tear meat off frozen prey or carrion (correct)

The turned molar lets wolverines tear meat from prey or carrion that has frozen solid.

3. Whose trails do wolverines follow to scavenge leftovers?

• Wolf and lynx (correct)
• Deer and moose
• Eagles and geese
• Beavers and marmots

They track wolves and lynx to eat what is left of their meals.

4. What do female wolverines burrow into to make a den?

• Sand
• Tree trunks
• Snow (correct)
• Frozen lakes

In February, females dig their dens into the snow.

5. Until when is the wolverine embryo's implantation held back?

• Early spring
• Early winter (correct)
• Late summer
• Mid-May

Implantation is held back until early winter, delaying the fetus's development.

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