| Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary 1,733,281,783 visitors served. |
|
Dictionary/ thesaurus | Medical dictionary | Legal dictionary | Financial dictionary | Acronyms | Idioms | Encyclopedia | Wikipedia encyclopedia | ? |
wolverine |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.02 sec. |
|
wolverine or glutton, largest member of the weasel weasel, name for certain small, lithe, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae (weasel family). Members of this family are generally characterized by long bodies and necks, short legs, small rounded ears, and medium to long tails. ..... Click the link for more information. family, Gulo gulo, found in the northern parts of North America and Eurasia, usually in high mountains near the timberline or in tundra. It is a heavy, short-legged animal, somewhat bearlike in appearance, 3 to 3 1-2 ft (91–106 cm) long, including the 8-in. (20-cm) tail, and weighing 35 to 60 lb (16–27 kg). The tail is bushy and the paws large, with heavy claws. The long, dark brown fur is banded on the flank with chestnut or yellowish white. Extremely strong and fierce, the wolverine hunts a wide variety of animals, and will drive animals larger than itself away from a kill. It has been known to attack nearly every animal except humans. It robs traps of bait and victims and steals food supplies in camps; however, its reputation for gluttony is exaggerated. Its fur does not hold moisture and for this reason is highly prized by the Eskimos as a frost-proof trim for hoods and cuffs. Wolverines are classified in the phylum Chordata Chordata (kôrdā`tə,–dä`–) ..... Click the link for more information. , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Carnivora, family Mustelidae. wolverineor skunk bearSolitary, voracious, nocturnal carnivore (Gulo gulo) that inhabits northern timberlands worldwide. Wolverines are 26–36 in. (65–90 cm) long and 14–18 in. (36–45 cm) high, and weigh 20–65 lbs (9–30 kg); the bushy tail is 5–10-in. (13–26-cm) long. They have short bowed legs, hairy soles, and long, sharp claws. Their long, coarse hair, used to trim parkas, is blackish brown, with a light horizontal strip. The anal glands secrete an unpleasant-smelling fluid. A cunning, fearless predator, the wolverine will attack almost any animal, including sheep, deer, and small bears.wolverine a large musteline mammal, Gulo gulo, of northern forests of Eurasia and North America having dark very thick water-resistant fur wolverine [¦wu̇l·və¦rēn] (vertebrate zoology) Gulo gulo.A carnivorous mammal which is the largest and most vicious member of the family Mustelidae. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
|
| ? Mentioned in | ? References in classic literature | |
|---|---|---|
He did not know that it was a wolverine, standing outside, all a- trembling with its own daring, and cautiously scenting out the contents of the cave. Ben Jones, also, killed a fallow deer and a wolverine, and as they were enabled to carry the carcasses on their rafts, their larder was well supplied. Then all the foxes went south, and even the wolverine, that growling, blunt-headed little thief of the snow, did not take the trouble to follow the line of empty traps that Kotuko set. |
| Encyclopedia |
| Free Tools: |
For surfers:
Free toolbar & extensions |
Word of the Day |
Help
For webmasters: Free content | Linking | Lookup box | Double-click lookup | Partner with us |
|---|