As you may, or may not know, Grove City College’s mascot is the ferocious, snow-dwelling wolverine, a fitting choice as winters in Grove City often resemble Narnia under the White Witch’s power. Don’t worry, though! There has never been a live wolverine spotted on campus. And, you’ll never have to worry about it being “always winter and never Christmas”. Christmas is a HUGE deal here.
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We thought we’d introduce you to this mysterious creature with a few fun facts:
1. Wolverines have a wicked sense of smell! They are capable of smelling a hibernating animal buried under 20 feet of snow!
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2. They often eat the bones and teeth of their prey. I’ll bet the female wolverines don’t have to worry about osteoporosis!
3. You know, humans weren’t the first mammals to think of refrigerators. Wolverines actually use snow as a refrigerator to keep their food fresh. I do think, however, that humans were the first to come up with the timeless joke made famous by Jim Carey in his role as the Grinch, “Is your refrigerator running?….Well, then you better catch it!!!” I’m a sucker for dumb jokes…sorry.
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5. Male wolverines are very territorial and can claim anywhere from 40 miles to 372.
6. Wolverines basically have built in snow shoes which help them navigate the snowy terrain they inhabit. When they take a step, their paws spread to almost twice their original size.
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7. The wolverine is a member of the weasel family which also includes skunks, sea otters, badgers, and ferrets.
8. Nicknames for the wolverine include skunk bear, quickhatch, carcajou, glutton, and, my personal favorite, stink-bear.
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So, there you have it folks! The wolverine is highly dangerous and highly adaptable. Just check out this photo of Willie.
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to meet him on an abandoned road..
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NOTE: Grove City College is not officially affiliated or associated in any way to the organizations, individuals, or the ideas and opinions held by said organizations and/or individuals from which these images are pulled.