The mean-tempered wolverine lives in the northern woods of Asia, Europe and North America. It makes its den in a cave, under a fallen tree or under an overhanging rock. The den is lined with leaves, grass and moss.
The wolverine is related to badgers, skunks and otters and looks something like a small bear. It is about 2½ feet long, weighs from thirty to fifty pounds, and has dark, shaggy hair with white markings.
Its broad, round head is armed with a vicious set of tough, razor-sharp teeth. It also has been provided with a heavy build and short, powerful legs. Its four-inch paws have spike-like claws, and in winter, its paws are thickly covered with hair, which act like snowshoes to help it travel over snow.
The wolverine is the scourge of the woods and is considered the most destructive animal. Unusually strong, it is feared by all animals and even avoided by those larger than itself. A meat eater, it will devour almost anything alive or dead and finds much of its food by digging foxes, rabbits and marmots out of their burrows. If these are not available in winter, it looks for deer or elk that are weakened and slowed down by deep snow. Its strong jaws can crush the leg bones of a deer, making it defenseless and easy to kill. A wolverine can drag a dead animal that weighs more than double its own weight for several miles. It is one of the most powerful animals for its size in the world and seems to kill for the love of killing, destroying more animals than it can eat.
This fighter will even challenge a cougar, wolf or bear that is feasting on captured food. If hungry, the wolverine will go right up to these larger and more powerful animals, growl and snarl at them, displaying its sharp teeth and claws. Most of these larger animals could defeat the wolverine if a fight resulted, but to avoid a bad time, they will usually leave the food to this fiery challenger. If a fight does result, the wolverine does not retreat and, as a result, will most likely be killed.
This bad-tempered beast reminds us of the warning given in the Bible: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:88Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)). It is only by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and keeping close to His care that we can overcome Satan, the evil one.
ML-02/10/2002