Sunday 19 May
Wolverine (Gulo gulo)

Top facts
- The wolverine is the largest member of the weasel family.
- The powerful jaws and large teeth of the wolverine are able to demolish frozen carrion and bones.
What’s the World’s Favourite Species?
Find out here.Wolverine fact file
- Description
- Biology
- Range
- Habitat
- Status
- Threats
- Conservation
- Find out more
- Glossary
- References
- Print factsheet
Wolverine description
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Carnivora |
| Family | Mustelidae |
| Genus | Gulo (1) |
The elusive wolverine (Gulo gulo) has a fearsome reputation - it is the largest member of the weasel family. The remoteness and voracious appetite of these creatures have led to an aggressive reputation. Males are much heavier than females and both have a stocky body and short legs (3). They are well adapted to the cold habitat of their northern range with a thick, bushy coat and broad, hairy paws (3). The glossy coat is dark brown with a paler stripe across the rump and along the sides of the body; some individuals have white throat patches (4). The powerful jaws and large teeth are able to demolish frozen carrion and bone (3). Wolverines carry their head and tail lower than the arched back and their gait appears somewhat humpy and lumbering although they can move very quickly when necessary (3).
- French
- GLOUTON.
- Spanish
- Glotón.
Wolverine biology
The wolverine is possibly the least known of the northern hemisphere’s large carnivores (2). Individuals are solitary, except for mothers with their young, and can occupy enormous home ranges depending on habitat and prey availability. Male’s home ranges may encompass those of several females, and the largest have been estimated at around 920 square kilometeres (3). Wolverines tend to alternate periods of activity and sleep throughout the day and night, when awake they are capable of crossing vast distances, climbing trees and swimming rivers (3). Mating occurs from April to August and births take place the following spring, usually within a den or sheltered area appropriated by the mother (4). Litters typically contain two to three cubs, which are born blind and with white fur. Weaned after nine to ten weeks, cubs often stay with their mother for over a year and females are therefore likely to reproduce only every couple of years (4).
Wolverines are reputed to have a voracious appetite and are even known as the ‘glutton’ in some areas (3). They do not hibernate over the cold winter months as some other carnivores do and are opportunistic scavengers, often feeding on carrion (3). The diet varies across their range with wolverines in Scandinavia feeding on wild and domestic reindeer (4), and those in Alaska consuming whale and seal carcases (3). Food may be stored for later consumption but wolverines also actively attack some prey, especially smaller mammals such as domestic sheep (4).
TopWolverine range
Wolverines have a circumpolar distribution in the northern hemisphere, and are found from the western United States, Canada, and Alaska to Siberia, Russia, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia (3). Previously their distribution extended further south reaching the Baltic States and southern California respectively, but with human encroachment the range has retreated northwards, leaving remnant populations in pockets of remaining wilderness in sub-arctic regions (3). Populations in North America and Europe are sometimes divided into separate subspecies, known as Gulo gulo luscus and G. g. gulo, respectively (5).
TopWolverine habitat
The wolverine is found in alpine, tundra and northern taiga habitats (4).
TopWolverine status
The wolverine is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1).
TopWolverine threats
Wolverines have declined through much of their historic range; they are very sensitive to human disturbance and have retreated to remaining areas of wilderness (4). They continue to be threatened by habitat loss and also by a loss of prey species or even other carnivores (such as wolves) that provide carrion (4). Where they do exist near humans they can come into conflict with farmers from attacking livestock; persecution and poaching are therefore pertinent threats (4). In addition, populations that are protected are slow to recover due to slow reproduction rates caused by the small litter size and the fact that females only reproduce every few years (4).
TopWolverine conservation
WWF International launched a Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe (LCIE) in 1995 and under this initiative an Action Plan has been drawn up for the conservation of this species in Europe (6). The wolverine is protected in much of its range but more research into the population dynamics and behaviour of this elusive creature are desperately needed. In Europe especially, where there are fewer areas of true wilderness left, any conservation initiative will have to work closely with local people to combat prejudice (4). In the United States, the wolverine is yet to be listed on the Endangered Species Act due to the paucity of data surrounding this species, highlighting once again the need for further research (3).
TopFind out more
For more on the wolverine and its conservation:
-
Wolverine Foundation:
www.wolverinefoundation.org -
Landa, A., Lindén, M. and Kojola, I. (2000) Action Plan for the conservation of Wolverines (Gulo gulo) in Europe. Council of Europe Publishing, EU. Available at:
http://www.lcie.org/Docs/COE/COE%20NE%20115%20Action%20plan%20for%20wolverines%202000.pdf -
San Francisco State University:
http://bss.sfsu.edu/geog/bholzman/courses/Fall00Projects/wolverine.html
Authentication
Authenticated (16/02/05) by Dr Arild Landa of the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.
TopGlossary
- Carnivore
- Flesh-eating.
- Carrion
- The flesh of a dead animal.
- Hibernation
- A winter survival strategy characteristic of some mammals in which an animal’s metabolic rate slows down and a state of deep sleep is attained. Whilst hibernating, animals survive on stored reserves of fat that they have accumulated in summer. In insects, the correct term for hibernation is ‘diapause’, a temporary pause in development and growth. Any stage of the lifecycle (eggs, larvae, pupae or adults) may enter diapause, which is typically associated with winter.
- Home range
- The area occupied by an animal during routine activities, which is not actively defended.
- Subspecies
- A population usually restricted to a geographical area that differs from other populations of the same species, but not to the extent of being classified as a separate species.
- Taiga
- The sub-arctic forest of the high northern latitudes that surrounds the pole and is mainly composed of coniferous trees.
- Tundra
- Treeless grassland between the icecap and the tree line of Arctic regions, with vegetation consisting of lichens, grasses, sedges and dwarf woody plants.
References
-
IUCN Red List (April, 2011)
http://www.iucnredlist.org - Macdonald, D. (2001) The New Encyclopedia of Mammals. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
-
San Francisco State University (March, 2003)
http://bss.sfsu.edu/geog/bholzman/courses/Fall00Projects/wolverine.html -
Landa, A., Lindén, M. and Kojola, I. (2000) Action Plan for the conservation of Wolverines (Gulo gulo) in Europe. Council of Europe Publishing, EU. Available at:
http://www.lcie.org/Docs/COE/COE%20NE%20115%20Action%20plan%20for%20wolverines%202000.pdf -
Wolverine Foundation (March, 2003)
http://www.wolverinefoundation.org -
Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe (April, 2008)
http://www.lcie.org/
More »Related species
Close
Image credit
© Igor Shpilenok / naturepl.com
Nature Picture Library
5a Great George Street
Bristol
BS1 5RR
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 117 911 4675
Fax: +44 (0) 117 911 4699
info@naturepl.com
http://www.naturepl.com
Close
Link to this photo
Embed this ARKive thumbnail link by copying and pasting the code below.
Terms of Use - The displayed thumbnail may be used as a link from your website to ARKive's online content for private, scientific, conservation or educational purposes only. It may NOT be used within Apps.
Read more about
Close
MyARKive
MyARKive offers the scrapbook feature to signed-up members, allowing you to organize your favourite ARKive images and videos and share them with friends.
Close
Terms and Conditions of Use of Materials
Copyright in this website and materials contained on this website (Material) belongs to Wildscreen or its licensors.
Visitors to this website (End Users) are entitled to:
- view the contents of, and Material on, the website;
- download and retain copies of the Material on their personal systems in digital form in low resolution for their own personal use;
- teachers, lecturers and students may incorporate the Material in their educational material (including, but not limited to, their lesson plans, presentations, worksheets and projects) in hard copy and digital format for use within a registered educational establishment, provided that the integrity of the Material is maintained and that copyright ownership and authorship is appropriately acknowledged by the End User.
End Users shall not copy or otherwise extract, alter or manipulate Material other than as permitted in these Terms and Conditions of Use of Materials.
Additional use of flagged material
Green flagged material 
Certain Material on this website (Licence 4 Material) displays a green flag next to the Material and is available for not-for-profit conservation or educational use. This material may be used by End Users, who are individuals or organisations that are in our opinion not-for-profit, for their not-for-profit conservation or not-for-profit educational purposes. Low resolution, watermarked images may be copied from this website by such End Users for such purposes. If you require high resolution or non-watermarked versions of the Material, please contact Wildscreen with details of your proposed use.
Creative commons material
Certain Material on this website has been licensed to Wildscreen under a Creative Commons Licence. These images are clearly marked with the Creative Commons buttons and may be used by End Users only in the way allowed by the specific Creative Commons Licence under which they have been submitted. Please see http://creativecommons.org for details.
Any other use
Please contact the copyright owners directly (copyright and contact details are shown for each media item) to negotiate terms and conditions for any use of Material other than those expressly permitted above. Please note that many of the contributors to ARKive are commercial operators and may request a fee for such use.
Save as permitted above, no person or organisation is permitted to incorporate any copyright material from this website into any other work or publication in any format (this includes but is not limited to: websites, Apps, CDs, DVDs, intranets, extranets, signage, digital communications or on printed materials for external or other distribution). Use of the Material for promotional, administrative or for-profit purposes is not permitted.














