The wolverine’s scientific name, Gulo, means “glutton.”  A glutton is someone who eats far more than what is normal and necessary for daily life.  This name is not really fair to the wolverine.  A wolverine is an “opportunistic” eater, which means it will eat what is available at the time and a lot of it.  Its menu can include eggs, roots, berries, beavers, porcupines, squirrels, birds, moose, reindeer, and dead animals.  A wolverine’s big meals make up for the times when food is scarce.

A wolverine doesn’t move much faster than about 9 M.P.H., so it isn’t very successful at chasing down prey.  Instead, it has several other special adaptations to get its food.  First, other animals don’t adapt as well to harsh winters, but the wolverine loves them.  Deer, elk, and moose cannot run as fast in the snow, but the wolverine has large padded feet that allow it to move well and a nice thick coat of fur that resists frost.  The wolverine is strong enough to take down large prey that can’t run away, so it may eat some of its biggest meals in the winter when other animals are weak and hungry.  The wolverine may bury any leftovers, but it is likely to cover them with its smelly musk, which keeps other animals from wanting to eat them.

A wolverine has a great sense of smell.  It may sniff out bait or animals caught in hunting traps that make for an easy dinner.  This sense of smell may also lead them to the remains of animals left by other predators.  If the predator is still around, the wolverine is strong enough and threatening enough to drive bears, mountain lions, and wolves away from their kills.  The wolverine’s large teeth and powerful jaws can crush bones and eat frozen meat.  Imagine trying to bite on a steak fresh out of your freezer!

Located in the forest section of the Zoo’s North America Region, each animal has its own exhibit space with natural surroundings composed of rocks, logs to climb in and over and pools for the bears.