Stories of Belonging: Wolverine | Real Estate Agents Bend Oregon
Central Oregon’s beauty inspires in us a sense of belonging, of being a part of something larger than ourselves. Our neighbors are as diverse as the habitats they call home and can teach us a great deal about co-existing. Here’s your neighbor of the month!
Some of our neighbors are actually almost never encountered. Wolverines may not usually come to mind when folks in the Bend area think about local wildlife, but they were once an integral part of the high mountain ecosystems in the area. And they still can be found in portions of the North Cascades Mountains in Washington. In Oregon, remote cameras proved the presence of 3 wolverines one recent winter in the Wallowa Range. These rare and very unusual animals have much to teach us.
They are the largest terrestrial member of the weasel family, a relative of mink and weasels. Wolverines have small eyes, broad heads, and short rounded ears. They typically weigh 35 pounds or less, but are very powerfully built. They do not hibernate because they are well adapted to thrive even in harsh winters. Their extremely dense fur does not collect frost. They also posses large snowshoe-like paws which enable them to stay on top of powdery snow. These paws end in crampon-like claws, enabling these intrepid explorers to ascend cliffs and snowy, blustery peaks. The wolverine can also proficiently climb trees if needed. In line with their diversity, they are even excellent swimmers. They are renowned for traveling long distances in a short amount of time, often determinedly going right over mountains, instead of taking the time to find an easier lowland route.
The species name is Gulo gulo, which means gluttonous glutton, and it certainly can put away some food. It does not waste caloric resources that others may leave behind. The powerful dental structure and jaws enable the wolverine to rip apart frozen meat, bones – and even teeth! To aid in this pulverizing, the upper molars are actually rotated 90° inward. (There are even reported cases of them chewing through chain-link fences)! They can also take down large animals that are stranded in deep snow, including caribou and moose.)
In the spirit of those who first explored the Bend area or who lived here in ancient times, it would be difficult to find a more mentally tough, fearless, and tenacious animal. Despite their small stature, they have been known to stand down even a grizzly bear when protecting their food. They also have a lesser-known social side. The very large male and female territories overlap, and they have strong family bonds. In contrast to many animals, male wolverines will actually interact with their offspring even after the children have struck out on their own.
Although the wolverines are very rare and only occasional companions, they are capable of teaching us a great deal about mental and physical endurance in tough conditions, incredible resourcefulness, and even the importance of social bonds. Seeing them as fellow inhabitants of this special Oregon space that we call home provides us with even more incentive to take great care of the natural environment that we all share!
About Karen Malanga: Karen has deep roots in Central Oregon, as one of the area’s most experienced, knowledgeable and top-producing real estate agents in Bend, Oregon. Clients can tell you that looking at real estate with Karen is like getting a guided tour of the community! Branch out and discover this month’s featured “nest” listings HERE.