Wolverine: Not just a Marvel comic character, but a real-life weasel
When you hear the word wolverine, the first thing that pops up on your mind is the super-muscular, clawed comic character of the same name with superhuman strength, agility and stamina. Okay, but where do you remember him from? Well, that would be from the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s X-Men film series, right? James “Jimmy” Howlett, better known as Logan is the primary protagonist of the X-men world, and has Wolverine as its code name. Created by the trio, Roy Thomas, Len Wein and John Romita Sr., Wolverine made his first appearance in 2000. But did you know that wolverine exists in real life and is in fact a weasel of sorts? In fact, the actual animal, like MCU’s Wolverine, has some seriously pointed claws.
Wolverine, aka Gulo gulo, is a weasel (Mustelidae family) that inhabits the freezing northern regions of North America, Northern Europe, Siberia, Canada, Alaska and Russia, especially in timbered forests. This carnivore looks much like a tiny bear because it is muscular and stocky. Being non-hibernating mammals, wolverines hunt throughout the year and feed on animals such as carrion, voles, gophers, rabbits and rodents. They are opportunistic eaters who eat nearly anything, whether living or dead. The wolverine was once a nearly endangered species, which is hunted for its fur but is now considered out of danger. Let’s explore some less-known facts about this elusive furry predator.
Wolverines walk like humans
Wolverines have evolved to have a semi-plantigrade stance as they walk, meaning they walk with toes and soles on flat ground, just like humans and bears do. With their curved, partially retractable claws, they can easily climb trees and move through soft, deep snow. Their paws act as snowshoes when on snow, distributing their weight evenly and preventing them from sinking. When wolverines walk on land, their paws extend out and grow twice as large as before. You’d be amazed to know that the paw print of a wolverine is equivalent to the size of a human palm. With these huge paws, they can even run up to speeds of 30 mph!
They locate food using their strong sense of smell
Imagine someone finding a dead caribou at a 20-feet distance after an avalanche and then being able to dig it out to eat. Sounds impossible, doesn’t it? But this is exactly what a wolverine can do! How? They have exceptional hearing and smelling senses, which they symbiotically use to find and dig animals hibernating in the snow for food. Wolverines eat most of their prey at one go. However, in case of leftovers, they will store the carcass in the snow to preserve and eat later. Isn’t that smart?
Wolverines stink
Native American tribes refer to wolverines as ‘skunk bears’ because they emit a foul odour. Using this smell from their anal glands, these furry animals mark their territory and guard their food against predators. They will also use this ability to signal danger by lifting their tails, just like skunks! This unpleasant smell can be attributed to traces of chemicals like methylbutanoic acid, methyl decanoic and phenylacetic acid found in their anal glands.
Their fur coat repels water
The wolverine’s fur is extremely dense, thick, dark, oily and hydrophobic, which means it repels water. This benefits wolverines, who dwell in the cold Arctic regions, as their fur won’t freeze and will keep them warm and dry. That’s why their thick brown fur is frequently used to line the hoods of winter jackets. Also, this is the reason why they were so rampantly hunted in olden days, almost to the point of extinction!