A rare sight of a wolverine has been captured on the west slope of the Tetons by BrushBuck guides Daniel Bradford, Clint Parkhill, and Adam Lackner.
Although some relate wolverines to dogs or small bears, they are the largest, most vicious, members of the weasel family. Less than 300 are said to exist in the United States; mainly in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. The dwindling wolverine population is said to be attributed to large numbers hunted from fur trappers in the early 20th century, and more recently, less snowpack caused by climate change.
These images come from motion sensor cameras that were set up in late November and checked on April 15 due to limited access to these areas in the winter. The wolverine first showed in December of 2019 making a special appearance on Christmas Day.
The guides think there may have been another wolverine lingering around as well. The latest sighting was on March 19th.
Photos and video courtesy of BrushBuck guides Daniel Bradford, Clint Parkhill, and Adam Lackner.
The wolverine is found primarily in remote reaches of the Northern boreal forests and subarctic and alpine tundra of the Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest numbers in Northern Canada, the U.S. state of Alaska, the mainland Nordic countries of Europe, and throughout western Russia and Siberia. Its population has steadily declined since the 19th century owing to trapping, range reduction and habitat fragmentation.
The wolverine is prevalent in stories and oral history from various Algonquian tribes and figures prominently in the mythology of the Innu people of eastern Quebec and Labrador. The wolverine is known as Kuekuatsheu, a conniving trickster who created the world. The story of the formation of the Innu world begins long ago when Kuekuatsheu built a big boat similar to Noah's Ark and put all the various animal species in it. There was a great deal of rain, and the land was flooded. He told the mink to dive into the water to retrieve some mud and rocks which he mixed together to create an island, which is the world that we presently inhabit along with all the animals.
Many tales of Kuekuatsheu are often humorous and irreverent and include crude references to bodily functions. Some Northeastern tribes, such as the Miꞌkmaq and Passamaquoddy, refer to the wolverine as Lox, who usually appears in tales as a trickster and thief (although generally more dangerous than its Innu counterpart) and is often depicted as a companion to the wolf. Similarly, the Dené, a group of the Athabaskan-speaking natives of northwestern Canada, have many stories of the wolverine as a trickster and cultural transformer much like the coyote in the Navajo tradition or raven in Northwest Coast traditions.
VIDEO
Although some relate wolverines to dogs or small bears, they are the largest, most vicious, members of the weasel family. Less than 300 are said to exist in the United States; mainly in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. The dwindling wolverine population is said to be attributed to large numbers hunted from fur trappers in the early 20th century, and more recently, less snowpack caused by climate change.
These images come from motion sensor cameras that were set up in late November and checked on April 15 due to limited access to these areas in the winter. The wolverine first showed in December of 2019 making a special appearance on Christmas Day.
The guides think there may have been another wolverine lingering around as well. The latest sighting was on March 19th.
Photos and video courtesy of BrushBuck guides Daniel Bradford, Clint Parkhill, and Adam Lackner.
The wolverine is found primarily in remote reaches of the Northern boreal forests and subarctic and alpine tundra of the Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest numbers in Northern Canada, the U.S. state of Alaska, the mainland Nordic countries of Europe, and throughout western Russia and Siberia. Its population has steadily declined since the 19th century owing to trapping, range reduction and habitat fragmentation.
Many tales of Kuekuatsheu are often humorous and irreverent and include crude references to bodily functions. Some Northeastern tribes, such as the Miꞌkmaq and Passamaquoddy, refer to the wolverine as Lox, who usually appears in tales as a trickster and thief (although generally more dangerous than its Innu counterpart) and is often depicted as a companion to the wolf. Similarly, the Dené, a group of the Athabaskan-speaking natives of northwestern Canada, have many stories of the wolverine as a trickster and cultural transformer much like the coyote in the Navajo tradition or raven in Northwest Coast traditions.
VIDEO
I have read on multiple occasions that Wolverine sightings have been recorded in the Northern UP of Michigan...Go Blue!