Exploring the Life and Diet of the Wolverine: Nature’s Resilient Scavenger

The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is a mammal that lives in colder regions. A wolverine looks similar to a small bear with dark brown fur and long claws, weighing between 20 and 66 pounds. Like skunks, wolverines produce a liquid that they spray on trees to mark their territory to keep other wolverines away. They are versatile animals, adapted to a wide range of habitats and diets. Continue reading to discover everything you need to know about the wolverine’s diet, from how they hunt and trap prey to what their prey typically consists.

How Wolverines Hunt

Wolverines are opportunistic scavengers, often feeding on dead animals, including the carcasses of deer, caribou, and elk. They are solitary hunters that hunt at night, preying on smaller animals like rabbits or rodents, though they will also track sheep and small bears. Wolverines have also been observed attacking the burrows of hibernating animals.

What Wolverines Eat

Wolverines are opportunistic carnivores whose diet consists of carrion, voles, gophers, rabbits, and rodents. These animals have an incredible sense of smell, locating carrion that is miles away or small prey burrowed beneath several feet of snow. Wolverines also use their claws to pull apart tree stumps to find insects and grubs. Although they are primarily carnivores, wolverines eat berries and roots, as well as:

• Carrion
• Deer
• Caribou
• Elk
• Rabbits
• Voles
• Gophers
• Fox
• Beaver
• Insects
• Grubs
• Berries
• Roots

Seasonal Diet

A study in Scandinavia tracked the eating habits of 41 wolverines in four locations. The study determined that wolverines utilize the most abundant and available food sources. During warmer months, when young reindeer are abundant, wolverines hunt more. In the colder months, when live prey is not as readily available, they rely more on carrion.

Storing Leftovers

If it can take down a large kill, a wolverine will bury the remaining meat in the snow to keep it fresh. In the warmer months, they may stash extra food in a tree stump and come back later for another meal.

Wolverine Predators

Though they are not considered apex predators, wolverines are tough animals. A few animals that can attack and kill wolverines are bears, mountain lions, wolves, and humans. Wolverines are killed for their fur, which is used as trim on parkas and winter coats. As of November 2023, wolverines in the Lower 48 United States are listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and are federally protected.