(Chelsea Update would like to thank Tom Hodgson and the Waterloo Natural History Association for the information in this story.)
Until 2004, there had not been a report of a wolverine in Michigan in more than 200 years — when a lone individual appeared in Huron County near Ubly.
How it got there is anyone’s guess.
One theory is that it came across the Straights of Mackinac on the ice in the dead of winter. Another is that someone purchased this rambunctious member of the weasel family as an exotic pet and later released it. However it got there, the wolverine was frequently sighted in Huron County until 2010, when it was found dead along a trail near Bad Axe. Its body was turned over to the DNR, who took it to a taxidermist for mounting.
This wolverine is now part of a traveling exhibit that will be visiting the Discovery Center in the Waterloo recreation area from July 3-July 28. So, those who would like to see Michigan’s only wolverine should stop by the Discovery Center in the coming weeks.
In North America, the wolverine inhabits the boreal forests and tundra of northern Canada and Alaska. Its stocky, muscular body is ideally suited for a cold climate. Its dense, oily fur readily sheds water and was prized by hunters and trappers to line winter coats and parkas.
So, if there has been only one wolverine spotted in the state in the last two hundred years, why is Michigan called the Wolverine State and why is the wolverine the mascot for the University of Michigan? (Before Michigan State fans begin to snicker, remember there are no Spartans native to Michigan, either.)
The answer can be found by studying Michigan’s fur trading era. Many wolverine pelts, as well as those of other fur-bearing animals, which were trapped in the north-country were shipped by canoe and larger ships along the Great Lakes to Detroit. From there, they were transported over-land to other parts of the country.
As a result, Michigan became an important fur trading hub for the entire country; if you wanted wolverine pelts, you ordered them from Michigan, the “Wolverine State.”
Pound for pound, the wolverine is one of the strongest animals in North America. It is aggressive, fearless and tenacious. Perhaps this is why it was adopted as the U-M mascot.
To learn more about this fascinating animal, stop by the Discovery Center beginning July 3. It’s open , Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and from noon – 5 p.m. on Sundays.
Interesting. I’d always heard that we earned the Wolverine nickname from our “friends” in Ohio, who were supposedly prone to say that Michiganders were as tenacious as wolverines. Think I like that version better. 🙂