Real Michigan Wolverine Spotted for First Time in About Two Centuries

DETROIT (AP) - A biologist has confirmed the sighting of a real Michigan wolverine, about 200 years after the species was last seen in the state that uses the small but ferocious animal as its unofficial nickname.
Coyote hunters spotted a wolverine near Ubly, about 90 miles north of Detroit. Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Arnie Karr saw the forest predator Tuesday and snapped pictures of the animal as it ran out of the woods and across a field.
ap.tbo.com...

but they didn't post any pictures of it

if a wolverine in michigan can hide for 200 years, think of what else with could be hiding, especially if they are just a bit more intelligent.

A creature makes a sudden appearance after 200 years and nobody finds it interesting??? no one?? not even the people from michigan?? sheesh... you people are hard to please (being sarcastic)

weird. I was under the impression there were never any actual wolverines in michigan at all.

Is this a sign of the return of Michigan's basketball program?

If so somebody needs to shoot that thing!

I would think they have been there, just never seen. They are very elusive, nocturnal animals. There is much wilderness in Michigan for them to remain unseen in.
I had the misfortune of hitting a wolverine on the Alaska Highway. He was severly injured, the hit broke both his hind legs.
Making a long story short, I opted to put him out of misery rather than leave him to suffer. That was a mistake! I was in Canada, and did not want to discharge my firearm (rifle) so I took this staff that I had been using on walks in the mountains. Well, without going into the graphics of the situation, I will say this- he almost got me. But after a 20 min battle I finally opted to break my .338 Seiko Finnbear out and end it.
The Canadian government issued me a permit to keep it the next morning, after I seen the warden in Ft. Nelson, Yukon Territory. I mounted him life size.
Did you know fur from a wolverine is the only fur that will not freeze when human breath hits it? That is why the natives put it around the hood, and face, of the parkas.
Moral of the story- if you see a wolverine- go the other direction.

aawww, i think hes cute! at least, i would until the thing tried to attack me.

Originally posted by JustAnIllusion




aawww, i think hes cute! at least, i would until the thing tried to attack me.

Yeah....

Well that was an interesting artical there....I always thought that so called "Exstinct" animals could be out there some where, we just don't know where...this is a perfict example of it. The Tasmain Tiger is still out there, there have been sightings of it. and most exstinct animals still could be out there like the Tasmain Tiger and this wolverine thing....

wolverines wern't extinct, just pushed out of michigan... and in harrisville, michigan, just south of alpena/just north of tawas, there was the largest bear on record found and killed... that's in the michigan map EVERYONE has about the last knuckle on the lake huron (east) side.

I'm on the opposite side of the state and they had it on the news here. Here's a site with a picture of it-
www.detnews.com...

This past year there have been a few mountain lion sightings too. Who knows what else is wandering around in the lesser populated areas...

If I see the thing, I am gonna throw BUCKEYES at it!!!

Throw buckeyes at it???

A small hairless nut with no economic value!!! Sounds like something an ohio native would name a football team after

A Michigan Wolverine would have no problem taking out brutus and his big, stupid looking head. That's why we don't have a mascot dancing around on the field. It could be more of a joke than a good thing.

GO BLUE!!!!!!

Who knows maybe it will make a comeback. It's interesting to see how an animal can go for so long without being seen. Who knows what else awaits discovery in the vast wilderness of the world.

Originally posted by AF1
Is this a sign of the return of Michigan's basketball program?

If so somebody needs to shoot that thing!

Naw, State'll beat them up good for a few more years

Originally posted by Journey


The Canadian government issued me a permit to keep it the next morning, after I seen the warden in Ft. Nelson, Yukon Territory. I mounted him life size.

They're neat animals. My father found one dead on the road many years back, got a permit for it, and had it stuffed. Now it sits in their living room. I remember the first time I saw it after he'd gotten it done, it frightened me beyond belief. Just wasn't expecting to see a Wolverine sitting beside the tv, lol.

well.......

if the coelacanth can be found alive after hw many million years after it was throught to have been extinct...... a wolverine / tasmanian tiger/ any other animal after 200 years shouldnt be too much of a stretch of the timelines......

I've always wondered if the dodo actually survived somewhere we dont know about?

Originally posted by worldwatcher


A creature makes a sudden appearance after 200 years and nobody finds it interesting??? no one?? not even the people from michigan?? sheesh...

and what is exactly so interesting about this animal? who needs those animals anyway, (unless i can eat them i dont need them)

I want to see the california black bear come back, however, that seems very unlikely. But it's always exciting to hear about an "extinct" or "endangered" animal spotted.

Worldwatcher~~
thanks for sharing that info. Hard to figure how it got there. Hard to believe any private citizen would have one to adulthood.

I wonder if there have been any reports of pets/livestock disappearing?? What do wolverines eat??

I never would have known about this sighting--the local newspapers and TV stations C() 99% of the time.

I read the news report and also saw a picture that was printed in my local newspaper. I can't find any photos to post and i got rid of the paper a while ago but i will try and find an image to post. There was speculation that this animal was not from Michigan, that it may have traveled from Canada into Michigan but i tend to think that wolverines have been living in Michigan for a while and that just because nobody has seen them for a while does not mean that they were gone. Coyotes and wolves were not supposed to be alive and well in Michigan for a while but now the consensus is that both animals are present. I wonder what other animals that aren't supposed to be live in Michigan actually are here?

The wolves were always in the U.P., if memory serves.

www.wolfsongalaska.org...

"The new wolf population figure for Michigan (excluding Isle Royal National Park) is 280 wolves spread throughout all counties of the Upper Peninsula. There continues to be the hypothesis that wolves will expand into the northern lower peninsula, but there still is no documented evidence that this has occurred.

This is an increase from the 249 wolves reported last year in the Upper Peninsula.

Michigan received 150-160 comments from the public on the state reclassification of wolves and hopes reclassification will occur in early summer from state endangered to state threatened.

Source: Timber Wolf Alliance News / Spring 2002"


As for coyotes, they seem to be migraing south, as they adapt in areas where there are humans. It also seems they wer never "gone" from Michigan.
www.michigan.gov...

"Coyotes are found throughout Michigan. They are most abundant in the Upper and northern Lower Peninsulas. Coyote numbers decrease in the central and southern portions of the Lower Peninsula. Coyotes have dispersed into southern Michigan without assistance from the DNR.

This member of the dog family is extremely adaptable and survives in virtually all habitat types common in Michigan. They are most abundant in areas where adequate food, cover, and water are available. Urban areas can also support coyotes."

[Edited on 21-3-2004 by DontTreadOnMe]