Mammals of Mount Rainier National ParkPotts, Merlin K.
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Mammals of Mount Rainier National Park
Potts, Merlin K.
Mammals -- Washington (State) -- Mount Rainier National Park
The wolverine has a stocky body, with a powerful head, neck and legs.
The legs and tail are short, the coloration is blackish or dark brown, a
broad, yellowish band beginning at the shoulders runs along either side
and reunites on the animal’s rump. The lower parts are generally
blackish, except for the throat and chest, which are usually mottled
with white or salmon color. Large males may measure as much as three
feet in length, including the tail, which is about ten inches long, and
weigh up to fifty pounds.
_Specimens in park collection:_ None.
The wolverine formerly ranged from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean,
through the extreme northeastern states, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota,
North Dakota, Colorado, Utah, and Oregon northward to the Arctic Ocean.
It is believed to be extinct or nearly so over much of its original
range in the United States, although it is reported to occur in fair
numbers in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park.
From 1897 to 1918 wolverines were occasionally reported from the park
area, but there have been none recorded since 1933, when one was
observed near the White River Ranger Station.
Known by a variety of common names ranging from glutton, carcajou,
mountain devil, skunk bear, to maneater, the wolverine lives up to any
or all of them. A member of the weasel family, it has somewhat the
general build and habits of a small bear. Fierce and ready to fight
anything that walks, it is a terrifying animal to face. Even such a huge
animal as an elk is attacked without hesitation. Its cunning and
boldness is greatly respected by the Indians, who believe it to be
inhabited by an evil spirit. For the most part it hunts by night and
wanders great distances in search of food.
It will eat any kind of game it can kill, a list which is extensive. Not
being able to entirely satisfy an enormous appetite by killing, the
wolverine also consumes all the dead carcasses that can be located. It
is famous for destruction along trap lines, methodically following the
line and eating anything that has been caught. Suspicious and canny, it
is difficult to lure into a trap, and often if caught will gain its
freedom by smashing even a heavy trap to pieces.
PACIFIC OTTER
_Lutra canadensis pacifica_ Rhoads
The otter is one of the largest members of the weasel family, somewhat
minklike in general appearance, with a small head and rather short legs.
The feet are webbed and the tail is thick and tapering toward the tip.
The general coloration above is dark chestnut-brown, becoming somewhat
paler on the underparts, throat and cheeks.
_Specimens in park collection:_ Mounted specimen, Longmire Museum, Park
Headquarters.
Otters are geographically distributed over most of North America. The
Pacific Otter is found from Oregon, Washington and British Columbia
northward as far as the coast of Alaska.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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