MUSEUM OF NATURE

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32494, 2 January 1971, Page 13

MUSEUM OF NATURE

Ferocious wolverine

(Contributed by the Canterbury Museum)

The animals most sought for furs when man first settled North America were in the family of small carnivora known as mustelidae.

These animals have longish bodies, short, legs and powerful paws armed with pointed claws which cannot be retracted. Most of them climb well but they are equally at home on the ground. The family can be divided into three groups—martens, badgers and otters.

In the marten group are found the sable, stoat, weasel, mink, ferret, fisher and wolverine or glutton. These agile and muscular animals were well able to cope with any enemies until European man discovered the softness and beauty of their fur. The largest of the terrestial mustelids is the thickbodied, stump-legged wolverine. Of all the martens it has the greatest reputation for ferocity. Like other members of the group it has a skunk-like smell and when frightened will give off a strong smelling secretion from the anal glands. The wolverine is not much more than three feet long, including eight inches of tail; it stands about 17 inches high and seldom weighs more than 351 b. Yet it is regarded as the demon of the woods. It has been observed to chase bears, coyotes and even mountain lions from their kills and then devour the prey itself. Crunching bite It has always been the despair of trappers because of its habit of following traplines to feed on the captured animals. With its powerful jaw muscles and remarkably strong jaw articulation, the wplverine can give a crunching bite out of all propor-

tion to its small size. It has been known to kill caribou, mountain lions and deer. During the summer, the lumbering wolverine is unable to run down its prey and so relies on carrion, birds eggs and even the larvae in wasps’ nests. But when the snow lies deep on the ground, this creature is far swifter than 'most of its quarry. That is because its toes are widespread, allowing it to travel in deep powder-snows, with little effort, in a series of bounds. And its endurance is phenomenal, it can cover more than 40 miles without rest.

Judging from descriptions of those who have seen the animal a wolverine loping across the snow-covered wilderness is a stirring sight, but it is also a rare one. Probably never very abundant in North America in the first place, it has been heavily trapped by Eskimos because they prize the special qualities of its fur, 'which never hardens, even at freezing point. The wolverine is also extremely wary and, informed of any danger through its keen

senses, retreats, leaving only its broad tracks as a sign of its presence. Now rare Today in North America, the wolverine is virtually extinct south of the coniferous forest, except for remnant populations in the Sierras and Rockies. Though Michigan is commoly known as the “Wolverine State,” there are none to be found there; nor could it be termed abundant in Canada or Alaska. It is also to be found in the mountain and forest areas of northern Eurasia and, in Norway attempts have been made for over 100 years to exterminate it and bounties have been paid for every onfe destroyed.

The gestation period for the wolverine is about nine weeks and three or four small greyish young are bom in March-April in a secluded den, such as a hollow tree, in a cliff crevice or in a snowdrift.

Visitors to the Canterbury Museum can see a specimen of this ferocious carnivore in the Hall of Biology.— J.H.J.