Welcome to the World of Wolverines (Welcome to the World Series) - Softcover

Diane Swanson specializes in nature writing for children. She is the author of many books, including Safari Beneath the Sea, which won the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Non-Fiction for Children. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

World of Difference

Think tough. Think Wolverine.

It's the most powerful member of the weasel family -- and that even includes the brawny badger. In fact, for its size, the wolverine may be the strongest of the mammals. Although it's no bigger than a dog of medium height and weight, it can scare away a mountain lion and haul a deer up a tree.

The super strength of the wolverine has given it several scary names, such as devil beast and evil spirit. What's more, some folks believe that it has a fiery temper. Others think that its hide has the power to make people hungry forever. But that's just folklore.

After all, wolverines tend to avoid humans, so few people know the animal well.

Sometimes wolverines are mistaken for black bear cubs. With their little eyes, rounded ears, and boxy snouts, the wolverines look a lot like the cubs. They're also both very furry.

A wolverine's coat, like a black bear's coat, has two layers. The guard hair, or outer coat, can be 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. The woolly underfur, or inner coat, is a lot shorter. It grows extra thick in the winter, which helps to keep the animal warm.

Seen from behind, wolverines are almost never confused with black bear cubs. A wolverine's tail is much longer than a bear's stubby one. The thick, bushy tail of a wolverine can be one-fifth to one-quarter the length of its body, and it's covered with long hair.