Mammals · Carnivora · Mustelidae

Wolverine

Gulo gulo

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is the largest land-dwelling mustelid and, despite its modest size, has a reputation for facing down much larger predators such as bears and wolves to defend a kill.

Weight

7 kg – 28 kg

Size

65 cm – 1.1 m

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestTundraCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Temperate forest Tundra Mammal

16countries 33parks28same family

Fun facts

Its breeding depends critically on spring snow lasting long enough for it to dig a den.
It feeds on the carrion of large ungulates, supplemented by actively hunting smaller prey.
It lives in the boreal forests and Arctic tundra of the Northern Hemisphere.
comportamientoAlthough it belongs to the otter and weasel family, it looks and is built like a small bear, and can drive wolves off a kill of their own.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Boreal forest and Arctic tundra of the Northern Hemisphere, dependent on lasting snow cover
Birth weight: ~95 g at birth, in a den dug into the snow
Size at birth: ~95 g at birth
Sexual maturity: 1.5-3 years
Gestation / incubation: A total gestation of 120-272 days with delayed implantation (only ~35 days of active development)
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 5 young per litter (most commonly 2-3)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 17-19.5 years

Sources consulted: Dimensions.com; A-Z Animals; NHPBS NatureWorks; Animal Diversity Web; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Britannica; PBS Nature; US FWS