Wolverines

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Wolverines

• Wild Weasels on Steroids?

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Northlake Christian Mascot

• The best mascot any school could have.
• The best physical (body) characteristics
• The best nephesh (soul) characteristics
• Nicknames
• skunk bear, Indian devil, and carcajou
• Remember, the Garden of Eden is gone.
• The wolverine has adapted (changed).
• What were its body and nephesh designed to do?

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www.WolverineFoundation.org
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Wolverine made of protons, neutrons, electrons
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Taxonomy (Weasel / Ferret Family)

• Kingdom Animalia
• Phylum Chordata
• Class Mammalia
• Order Carnivora
• Family Mustelidae
• Genus Gulo (glutton)
• Species Gulo gulo
• Sub-species (North America) Gulo gulo luscus

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The Wolverines Body Design

• Arched back with the head hips lower
• Causes a lumbering gait (movement)
• Yet very agile (coordinated)
• Long Guard Hairs with thick soft under-fur
• Long furry tail
• Broad furry paws with semi-retractile claws
• Scent Glands (skunk-like)

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Wide furry snow shoepaws
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Wolverines Body Continued . . .

• Muscular compact body with stocky legs
• Males twice the size of females
• This is called sexual dimorphism (like lions)
• Average Size
• Length 36 inches
• Height 12 inches
• Weight (Males 50 pounds, Females 25 pound)

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Wolverines Body Continued . . .

• Vocal cords are grizzly bear-like
• Deep, ferocious-sounding growls
• Skull large, thick, strong
• Powerful Jaws and Teeth
• (Can crush frozen meat and bone)

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Wolverine SkullWolverine skull engraving from
Coues, E. 1877. Furbearing animals a monograph
of North American Mustelidae . Dept. Interior,
U.S.G.S. Misc. Publ. No. 8, Washington, D.C.
348pp.
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Has 38 TeethThe dental formula of the wolverine
is- Incisors 3/3- Canines 1/1- Premolars
4/4- Molars 1/2
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What does a wolverine think about feel?
What is a wolverines nephesh like?
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The Wolverines Nephesh

• Do NOT Hibernate
• Elusive (Cautious)
• Aggressive, courageous
• Voracious Appetite
• Opportunistic Scavengers
• Active Predators
• Extremely Intelligent (Out smart trappers)
• Protective Parent (self-sacrificing)

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Wolverines World-Wide Range

• Circumpolar across the northern hemisphere
• Western United States (Alaska), Canada, Russia,
  Eastern Europe and Scandinavia
  
• Two Sub-Species
• 1. (Russian, Scandinavian, etc) Gulo gulo gulo
• 2. (North America) Gulo gulo luscus

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Geographic Distribution
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• Carrion (dead animals frozen)
• Reindeer, mule deer
• Bighorn Sheep
• Rabbits, Mice
• etc, etc, . . .

• Marmots
• Gophers
• Anything
• Everything

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Partial Trophic Web in an Alpine Tundra
Community
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Wolverines on the Web

• www.WolverineFoundation.org
• www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Gulo_gulo/more_
  info.html
  
• http//bss.sfsu.edu/geog/bholzman/courses/Fall00Pr
  ojects/wolverine.html