Most people tend to associate the wolverine with wolves (because of its common name) or with bears, because of its striking resemblance to the members of family Ursidae (the bear family). The fact, however, is that the wolverine is neither related to wolves nor to bears.

"Looks can be deceptive." This quote is perfect for an animal like the wolverine (Gulo gulo). It is just the size of a Cocker Spaniel or a Beagle, but it has enough muscular strength to defend itself against other predators and bring down an animal as large as the caribou. Although it weighs somewhere around 20-50 lb, it can defend its food from a pack of wolves, cougars, and grizzly bears. Relative to its size, it is thought to be the strongest animal among mammals. There are many more riveting facts about this weasel species, each more interesting than the last.

10 Facts About Wolverines

1. A Water-Resistant Winter Coat

A wolverine's fur is brownish-black with light brown stripes along the sides. The fur is dense and long, and it resists water, which helps the wolverine tolerate the cold and frost of the environment it inhabits.

2. Built for Snow

Wolverines have a stocky build with powerful limbs, a large head, a short tail, and small ears. Their feet are equipped with pads and large claws, which let them traverse through heavy snow with ease.

3. Tireless Travelers

The wolverine is basically solitary and needs a lot of space to roam. It has been known to travel 15-20 miles a day looking for food. Some animals have even been tracked over the snow for 60-80 kilometers.

A wolverine digging into deep snow in a taiga forest, using its powerful claws to excavate a den
Wolverines use their massive claws to dig through packed snow, even to find hibernating animals buried beneath the surface.

4. Remote Wilderness Hunter

For food, wolverines attack caribou herds when they migrate, and feed on carcasses that bears and wolves leave behind. Because they need such large ranges of habitat, wolverines are found in the remote regions of the Tundra, Taiga, and Boreal forests in the northern parts of North America, Asia, and Europe. They have a strong preference for areas uninhabited by humans.

5. Curious, Daring, and Omnivorous

Similar to other weasels, the wolverine is curious, daring, and tough by nature. It is an omnivore, feeding on a wide variety of food. In summers, wolverines eat berries, edible roots, and various plants, but this is only a small part of their diet. Being tenacious predators, they travel great distances to find their main food: meat.

Test Your Wolverine Knowledge!

5 quick questions about the toughest animal in the north.

6. Opportunistic Feeder

Smaller prey like rodents and rabbits are easy targets, but if given the chance, a wolverine will attack animals much larger, like deer and caribou. They are also opportunistic feeders, eating animals killed by other predators such as caribou, deer, and elk. Eating carrion helps them survive the winter when food is scarce. They will even dig into the snow to find and eat hibernating animals.

7. Surprisingly Athletic

The wolverine is mainly a ground animal, but it is very good at climbing trees and is also a powerful swimmer. It has great stamina and uses a fast lope to travel long distances without stopping to rest.

8. Adapts to Arctic Light

The wolverine is generally nocturnal, but if it finds itself in regions of extended darkness or daylight (as happens in the far north), it will change its pattern of sleeping and waking. Like bears, this animal has poor eyesight, but its hearing and sense of smell are very good.

9. Solitary but Social Within the Family

Males use their scent glands to mark out their territory, sometimes even marking their caches of food. They are polygamous and share their territory with a number of females. Although wolverines are solitary animals, family members do play with each other.

A wolverine mother with two young kits resting at the entrance to their den in an early-spring boreal forest
Female wolverines dig underground dens to give birth. The young stay with their mother until they are about two years old, when they are old enough to reproduce.

10. Underground Birth

Female wolverines dig underground to give birth to their young, usually 2 to 3 at a time, either in early spring or late winter. The young stay with their mothers until they are two years of age, when they are mature enough to reproduce themselves.

A Survivor Built for the Cold

Wolverines manage to survive in tough conditions and reproduce at a good rate. In the past, they were hunted on a large scale for their beautiful coat, which was used as a lining for parkas. That has changed, the wolverine is now given protective status in several regions. On the basis of estimated population, it is listed as a 'Least Concerned' species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) today.

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