What do wolverines live in

It is the largest land-living species in the weasel family, or mustelids. The wolverine usually weighs between 17 and 40 pounds, stands up to 1. The male is larger than females. The wolverine also resides in Alaska, Canada, and Russia. The wolverine ranges widely, up to 15 miles a day, and needs lots of habitat.

Home ranges can vary from to square miles. In the lower 48, they live primarily at high altitudes with alpine vegetation, but can venture to lower elevations. It is estimated that 25 to live in the lower 48 states. In and , one wolverine was recorded on motion-detector cameras in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains. It is not believed to be part of a resident population, possibly having come from somewhere in the Rocky Mountains.

Wildlife biologists were awed and excited by the sighting of a lone wolverine in California in and , but nonetheless the risks posed by climate change indicate that the future is challenging for wolverines in the lower 48 states.

Wolverines are ferocious predators that prey mostly on mammals such as rabbits and rodents. They are also scavengers, eating the carrion carcasses of large animals such as caribou, deer, and elk to help them through the winter when other food is scarce.

A male is polygamous, usually having several mates with several smaller female territories within its larger territory.

Females raise the young without any male assistance. A female makes her birthing den in deep snow, usually requiring five or more feet of snow to protect the young from cold and predators. For this reason, dens are usually high up at 7, feet or more in altitude. Wolverines usually produce one or two kits, who are born from mid-February through March. They use the dens usually until May, so finding an area that has snow into late spring is important.

Fast Facts: Wolverine Scientific name: Gulo gulo Average height: 66 to 86 cm Average weight: 12 kg to 18 kg males , 8 kg to 12 kg females Average lifespan: 7 to 13 years in the wild Did you know? Physiology This funny little creature looks like a combination of a skunk and a small bear. Range These wolverines can be found across the Arctic region of Canada. Download a printable version of this page See more of our Animal of the Month features for kids.

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Map archive. Ocean Bridge. Ocean Supercluster. The Franklin Expedition. The North. The Polar Blog. The Terror. Canadian Geographic Challenge. The National Bird Project. Classroom Energy Diet Challenge. Energy IQ. Canada's Coolest School Trip. A Developing World. East Asia. Biome Montane grasslands and shrublands. Climate zones Cold. Habits and Lifestyle Wolverines are well-adapted to winter and do not hibernate.

Group name. Terrestrial, Altricial. Diet and Nutrition Wolverines are omnivores and often eat large game like moose, caribou, and mountain goats; also smaller animals like rodents and ground squirrels, and sometimes birds' eggs and berries.

Diet Omnivore. Population Trend. Least concern LC. Population Population threats The biggest threat facing wolverines is climate change. Population number According to Wikipedia, the world's total wolverine population is not known. Ecological niche Wolverines are scavengers, eating the kill of bear and wolves. Fun Facts for Kids Wolverines eat bones with their very strong teeth and jaws. As a wolverine walks, its paw spreads out to almost twice its size, making it easier to walk on snow, like built-in snowshoes.

References 1. Included in Lists Mammals of Canada. Mammals of Mongolia. Mammals of Norway. Mammals of Sweden. Related Animals American Mink. European Mink. European Polecat. Least Weasel. Sea Mink. Japanese Weasel.