The wolverine
Gulo gulo
The wolverine is one of the five large predators in Sweden, yet it is far less talked about than the others. When it is mentioned, it is often described as fierce and aggressive — a reputation that doesn’t reflect reality.
In truth, the wolverine is primarily a scavenger, feeding mostly on carcasses and remains it finds in the wild. Like many other carnivores, it can also be remarkably playful.
About
The wolverine is primarily a scavenger and doesn’t mind if its meal is long past the “best before” date. Resembling a small bear, it is not very large and weighs up to around 20 kilograms.
The wolverine has a brown coat with lighter streaks along its sides and large paws that make it well adapted for walking on snow. It is capable of hunting and killing reindeer, though most of its diet consists of carcasses it finds. Wolverines also eat frogs, birds, and mice, and during summer they supplement their diet with plants and berries.
A solitary animal by nature, the wolverine mates in summer, and the female stays with her young for just under a year.
Did you know that:
Wolverines are excellent climbers and can easily scale trees.
Their large paws act like snowshoes, allowing them to move effortlessly across deep snow.
The German name for the wolverine — Vielfraß — literally means “big eater.”
Fact
Scientific name: Gulo gulo
Conservation status: Vulnerable (VU)
Size: 65–105 cm long; shoulder height 35–45 cm
Weight: Males around 20 kg; females around 10 kg
Number of young: 2–3. Wolverines mate during the summer, and the young are born in mid-winter, often in a snow den.
Conservation status
