I have learned a lot about the wolverine, Sweden's only member of the scavenger family among mammals that Sweden has in some numbers. The Wikipedia page on wolverines was particularly informative. Its numbers have been in decline and now are restricted to Norrland. They are shy of human contact, and can be best described as being like a small bear.
A prime characteristic of wolverines is a powerful jaw that can crack bones, and the ability to bring down animals much larger than themselves.
There is a town called Järvsö north of Gävle. In English the Järv part of the name means "Wolverine" in Swedish. I also watched the one-hour programme on scavengers in Sweden Mitt i Naturen, which was shown recently on SVT1.
I didn't realise the scavenger family was so large, including hedgehogs, blowflies, vultures and crows:
Well-known scavengers of animal material include vultures, burying beetles, blowflies, yellowjackets, and raccoons. Many large carnivores that hunt regularly, such as hyenas, but also animals rarely thought of as scavengers, such as African lions, leopards, jackals, and wolves will scavenge if given the chance. They may also use their size and ferocity to intimidate the original hunters (the cheetah is a notable exception). Almost all scavengers above insect size will hunt if not enough carrion is available, as few ecosystems provide enough dead animals year-round to keep its scavengers fed on that alone. Scavenger wild dogs and crows frequently exploit roadkill. Despite its reputation as a ferocious freshwater predator, the red-bellied piranha is actually a generally timid scavenger, fulfilling a role similar to vultures on land. Scavengers of dead plant material include termites that build nests in grasslands and then collect dead plant material for consumption within the nest. The interaction between scavenging animals and humans is seen today most commonly in suburban settings with animals such as opossums, polecats and raccoons. In some African towns and villages, scavenging from hyenas is also common. (An extract from the Wikipedia page on scavengers)
Like many scavengers, wolverines have been hunted almost to the point of extinction. Their fur was valued for its warmth and strength.
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Originally Posted by Dreamwoven
