mammals

The Real Wolverine

We headed out to meet the real wolverine, the furry ferocious animal that is famous for its tenacious attitude! This arctic dwellers are so cool!

Date: 12/8

Location: Arctic Circle

• Wolverines are solitary.
• They occupy a large territory and will roam up to 15 miles a day.
• Wolverines live in North America, Asia and Europe.
• They are called the “skunk bear” by the Blackfeet Indians.

• Wolverines do not hibernate.
• Their dense fur helps them stay warm even in the snowiest conditions.
• Wolverines have webbed feet that act like snowshoes.
• Females give birth to 2-5 kits (babies) in late winter in a den. The kits are white!
• Wolverines are often found in rugged areas.
• They have a strong sense of smell. They can find carrion buried 6 feet in the snow.

These little furry animals are very cute, but they are tough and territorial. It’s best not to confront one. Even though they are listed by the IUCN as Least Concern, they have disappeared from much of their home range. They are no longer found in most of the US now, even though they once called the Rockies home.

Meeting Moose

We have some dear friends who are moose! They live in the UK and they are wild bunch! But we had never meet some wild Canadian moose. We headed up the coast into Canada to meet some moose!

Date: 11/9

Location: Canada Temperate Rainforest

• Moose are the largest member of the deer species.
• Moose can eat up to 70lbs of food a day. As the winter comes that drops down.
• Only male moose have antlers. Sometimes those antlers are called paddles. They can weigh up to 40 lbs!
• Like other deer species, they shed their antlers in the winter.
• Like their cousins the Roosevelt elk, they are excellent swimmers.

• Each moose have a flap of skin under their chin that is called a bell.
• They are crepuscular-most active at dawn and dusk.
• Most moose are solitary, except during mating season.

We had a great day, watching these wild moose forage for food. The name the Algonquin tribe have for moose means “twig eater”. Hehehe- we do love to nibble on some grasses and maybe a piece of bark too. Good thing there was plenty to snack on in the forest!

An Elk Named Roosevelt

Today we went looking for one of the largest members of the North American elk family. It’s a great time of year to find these great animals, as it is mating season. We could hear them call in the mist in the morning. Did you know that males coat themselves in urine to attract the ladies? Eeeeewww…

Date: 11/7

Location: Pacific Northwest

• Roosevelt elks were named after President Teddy Roosevelt.
• They have large antlers with three point tips on each one. Those are called crowns. Only the males have antlers.
• Like other animals with antlers, they shed them during the fall and winter.

• Some herds of elk migrate, while others do not. It all depends on food supply throughout the year.
• Elk have two large canine teeth made of ivory. They are the only animal with antlers to have such teeth. It is believed to be a remnant of their extinct ancestors.
• Adult male elks are called bulls. They are solitary or live in bachelor groups.
• Elk are very vocal.

We had such a great time in the forest watching the elk graze on ferns and moss.  We found a few more males and goodness did they stink! We sure are glad lady elks (cows) enjoy that smell. Mating season is called The Rut- neat!

Island Rats

Date: 10/10

Location: Galapagos Islands

• Galapagos island rice rats were first described by Charles Darwin.
• They are nocturnal.
• Rice rats burrow under rocks or in the hollow of a cactus.

• They are the only native rat on the Galapagos Islands.
• They now live only on one island, Santa Fe.
• Rice rats have more babies during wet years.

We had to disembark the SS Ellie and Edmond at night to locate these tiny inhabitants. We always carry red flashlights as not to disturb the animals (many animals can not detect it). Our guide knew just where to look. We watched a few little rats chowing down on dinner and scurrying about! We’ll sleep in before heading off to meet tomorrow’s animal.