The wolverine is the largest land-dwelling member of the weasel family, found in the boreal forests and tundra of the far Northern Hemisphere across North America, Europe and Asia, recognized by its stocky, muscular build, thick oily fur and powerful jaws and claws adapted for a demanding, wide-ranging life in harsh, cold environments. It has a reputation, well supported by its behavior, for tenacity and strength disproportionate to its size, capable of driving larger predators such as wolves and bears away from carcasses and of taking down prey much larger than itself when the opportunity arises, though it survives mainly by scavenging. Wolverines are solitary and range over enormous territories in search of scattered food, needing large stretches of undisturbed wilderness, and the species is classified as vulnerable due to habitat fragmentation and sensitivity to climate change affecting the snow cover it depends on for denning.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Relationship to People Living or ExtinctDerived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status (w-bfill-g5-0924 browse backfill). Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceStrong limbs, a broad rounded head, small eyes and short rounded ears, most closely resembling a large fisher. 1 Scientific Name Conservation Status Connections
Child Taxon Of
In Biome
In Ecosystem
Sources
1. Wolverine
Wikimedia FoundationLead section, opening sentence
The wolverine ( WUUL-və-reen, US also WUUL-və-REEN; Gulo gulo), also called the carcajou or quickhatch (from East Cree, kwiihkwahaacheew), is the largest land-dwelling member of the family Mustelidae.
Conservation section, IUCN rationale sentence
The wolverine is listed by the IUCN as Least Concern because of its "wide distribution, remaining large populations, and the unlikelihood that it is in decline at a rate fast enough to trigger even Near Threatened".
Description section, body-shape comparison sentence
With strong limbs, broad and rounded head, small eyes and short rounded ears, it most closely resembles a large fisher.
- In Biome: Boreal Forest, Wikipedia 'Wolverine': found primarily in remote reaches of the northern boreal forests and subarctic and alpine tundra
- In Biome: Tundra, Wikipedia 'Wolverine': found primarily in remote reaches of the northern boreal forests and subarctic and alpine tundra
- In Ecosystem: Canadian Boreal Forest, Wikipedia 'Wolverine': found primarily in the northern boreal forests, with the greatest numbers in Northern Canada
View the Source 2. Wikipedia: Wolverine
diet-classification (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
It is a muscular carnivore and a solitary animal.
system (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
The wolverine is found primarily in remote reaches of the northern boreal forests and subarctic and alpine tundra of the Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest numbers in Northern Canada, the U.
Lead section
population has steadily declined since the 19th century owing to trapping, range reduction and habitat fragmentation
View the SourceWikidata: Wolverine
Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: MustelidaeView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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