Last Updated on April 15, 2024 by Amin Tawar
Do Wolverines Live In The Michigan?
Wolverines were abundant in Michigan for quite some time. However, all evidence states that there has been no verified hunting of wolverine in the state’s borders, nor has any skeletal remains in Michigan. There has been no verified sighting of a wild wolverine until the last decade.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has stated that wolverines are not native to Michigan and they were pushed out of the state, 200 years ago. Wild wolverines exist in Oregon, Washington, Montana, California, and Alaska, but there are no wild wolverines found in Michigan.
When was the last wolverine found in Michigan?
A biologist confirmed an extremely rare appearance of a female wolverine in 2004, after 200 years from when the species was last spotted in the state. The wolverine was spotted by coyote hunters near Ubly in the Thumb region, which is around 90 miles north of Detroit.
This was the latest and the last verified sighting in the state of Michigan after spotting made by fur traders and hunters in the late 1700s and 1800s. The animal has died sometime in early 2010 when its body was found by hikers. The Wolverine was brought to a taxidermist to be displayed as a stuffed animal at the Saginaw Bay Visitor Center.
What is Wolverine Michigan known for?
Michigan is also known as the Wolverine State and many would think that the state is called the Wolverine State as Wolverines are common. But that is not the case. The state got this nickname from Michigan’s rich fur trading history. Years back, Michigan’s fur trading was a strong industry in the Great Lakes.
This trading station operated as an exchange between fur traders and trappers, who would ship these products to the Eastern regions of the United States. As many of the furs that were traded in the state included wolverine furs, traders might have called them “Michigan wolverines” and, since then, the nickname stuck around.
How did Michigan get the Wolverines?
When the University of Michigan was established, it took in the nickname of the state it represented. Thus in the year 1923, University of Michigan football trainer Fielding Yost went out to find a Wolverine as the team’s mascot.
In the year 1927, ten wolverines were brought from Alaska and put in the Detroit Zoo. and for football games, two of them were brought to the stadium in cages. However, the animals became more ferocious, and the practice of bringing them to the stadium was discontinued after a year.
Also Check Our Guide On Wolverine in US
How big are Wolverines in Michigan?
The wolverine is a member of the weasel clan that can look small but very fierce enough to fight off wolves and bears. Though Wolverines might look friendly they have strong jaws to bite on frozen bones and meat. An adult male wolverine can weigh around 36 pounds and is 18 inches tall and 45 inches long. Females weigh anywhere from 8 to 12 kg (17-27 lbs).
Males are 15% larger in measurements and 40% bigger in weight when compared to females. A wolverine has very sharp teeth and claws that help them in forging food. Their strong limbs and five-toed paws help them climb up trees, cliffs, and snow-covered cliffs with ease. They have dark, thick, oily fur that is hydrophobic, making it resistant to snow.
Where do Wolverines live in the US?
Wolverine once had a home range in the west to northern regions of the United States, above the timberline. But, it is now limited only to a few high-elevation habitat regions of Idaho Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska. However, there are a few sightings in other states. They, mostly live in cooler temperatures, like the northern regions of North America.
Their thick, glossy, brown fur helps in keeping them warm. A few sightings have also occurred in Wisconsin, New Mexico, Utah, and South Dakota. Also, wolverines are known to have a large home range, around 400 square kilometers, so they can be seen moving from state to state in search of food and shelter.
Also Check Our Guide On Wolverine in Colorado
Conclusion
And that was everything you need to know about the Wolverines in Michigan. I hope this article answered all your queries.
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