OT: Someone Standing Up For the Wolverines

Submitted by Imjesayin on November 30th, 2023 at 1:01 AM

No, this is not a Michigan vs. Everybody post!

It's about the mighty wolverine finally receiving threatened species status since only about 300 of these wonderful creatures are believed to be living in the contiguous United States. 

It's great to see this beautiful and voracious beast get the protection it deserves. 

https://apnews.com/article/wolverine-species-endangered-climate-change-024ec09a032851a26a248fab93ad7d0e

GLORY

November 30th, 2023 at 1:22 AM ^

How ironic the US moves to protect wolverines from extinction, while the BIG/NCAA attempts to move forward to it.  

I love this country.

uminks

November 30th, 2023 at 1:30 AM ^

There was a female wolverine living in Huron County from 2004-2009 but she died. Otherwise, the last Michigan wolverines were trapped to extinction in Michigan by the French in the 1700s/.

IYAOYAS

November 30th, 2023 at 4:10 PM ^

User name semi checks out. 

Mother Nature’s Michigan is a fantastic book for all ages.  Highly recommended! If memory serves it states that there is no evidence the Wolverine was ever native to Michigan. 

As retirement approaches I’m not opposed to moving to Alcona County and starting a Wolverine breeding program. I’m guessing the regulatory hurdles would be enormous. 

XM - Mt 1822

November 30th, 2023 at 7:24 AM ^

i posted here a few years back, with pictures put up with the help of scanner, about seeing a wolverine on the south edge of our farm (very heavily wooded) and coming across tracks a couple of times in that same area that seemingly had no other explanation (not a badger, coon, etc).  the gait, pattern, size, claw marks all seemed to lead to only one conclusion.  

XM - Mt 1822

November 30th, 2023 at 8:42 AM ^

i do, but i have no idea how to post them and only scanner's brilliance a few years back allowed me to text him with the pics, and for him to post.  i think it was spring of 2020 (yes, that  special time) that i posted the OP/words and he added the pics as the first post underneath.  

XM - Mt 1822

November 30th, 2023 at 7:29 AM ^

hatter, it was probably 15 yrs ago that a friend of ours, a fly-fishing guide up here, had the greatest quote about mountain lions.  this was of course years before the DNR would admit it.  he was guiding a trip and came upon a rather unique sight.  to quote him: "i'm not saying there are mountain lions.  i'm not saying there aren't mountain lions.  i'm just saying i saw a deer carcass 20' up in a tree"

NewBlue7977

November 30th, 2023 at 6:08 AM ^

I follow many, many wildlife issues, and one wildlife biologist I listen to a lot and read his books is Dr. Doug Smith.  He is mainly known for his knowledge on wolves (wolves are my favorite animal and have worked field research on the species in a variety of ecosystems), but Dr. Smith has decades of research on many other species.  His favorite animal is the wolverine, and he has been saying wolverines should be on the Endangered Species List since 2008.  This is a longtime coming, and happy the species is finally getting protection in the lower 48.  

Swayze Howell Sheen

November 30th, 2023 at 8:29 AM ^

Actually it kind of is a Wolverines vs Everybody post...

But honestly we should all know better:

The Wolverine may be low in numbers
The Wolverine may seemingly be endangered
But there is nothing more dangerous than the cornered Wolverine
What will the Wolverine do, when everyone is against it?
Will it cower down? 
No I think, it will rise and
Keep fighting
Keep fighting
Keep punching
Keep going
Keep going!
And when you look up in the end
Standing there, again, it'll be
The Wolverine
The Wolverine

(inspired by the Blake Corum post PSU speech)

Booted Blue in PA

November 30th, 2023 at 9:23 AM ^

They weren't near extinction, but for a couple decades, starting around 2000, they were very much endangered. 

Thankfully they have been making a strong comeback ever since.... they seem pretty healthly now, you might even say they are thriving.

 

GO BLUE

M go Bru

November 30th, 2023 at 11:54 AM ^

Great wolverine experience at the Detroit Zoo

I went to the zoo in february with my son's grade school class as a parent group leader. The wolverine was spooked by the beeping of a front end-mover backing up on the walkway adjacent to his environ. It shot up a 40-foot tree in milliseconds. Truely a.....mazing!

Any other time I went to the zoo it was always sleeping in his rock den because it was the coolest place it could find.