Wolverine
Fierce, feisty, fun – wolverines are superheroes of survival, athletic and tenacious. But they’re also full of personality! Meet ours in their newly-expanded habitat on the Cat Loop Trail, near foxes.
Brother-and-sister wolverines Rainier and Ahma were both born at Northwest Trek from different litters. Now they’re back home and together again, getting along famously in a newly-expanded habitat that includes plenty of trees to climb and boulders to explore.
And they’re great to watch. The largest land species in the weasel family, wolverines have evolved in harsh Northwest mountain areas to be tough survivors: agile climbers, strong diggers, and afraid of nothing.
Rainier, like most males, is bigger than his sister. But a splash of white fur on the chest is how you can really tell wolverines apart – each one is unique.
Since wolverines are rare and will run from humans, scientists record this splash with a camera trap set at the end of a long log called a run pole. With a delectable piece of meat set up at the end, the wolverine runs up and triggers the camera as it reaches upwards.
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Gulo gulo
The "gluttonous glutton"
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The translation of the wolverine's Latin name says it all: They'll eat almost anything, living or dead. |
This helps them survive in harsh, alpine regions in the Pacific Northwest where prey is scarce. |
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Superhero or villain?
Both and more.
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Wolverines deserve their superhero image, with powerful muscles for fighting, long sharp claws and a fierce snarl. |
But they're also smart and outgoing, curious about new things and highly adaptable, exploring their habitat. |
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Digging dens
for little ones.
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Wolverines are rare in the wild, with fewer than 300 in the lower 48 U.S. states. |
Because they dig snow dens to raise young, their numbers are dwindling even more due to climate change . |