DEEP WINTER WOLVERINE (JERV)

A magic moment as I witness the wolverines first approach to the carcasse 

D5, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/400, ISO 6400

A "Deep Winter Wolverine" has long been a dream of mine !! .... I've had wild fantasies about close encounters, deep winter with frost in the face, warm breath, white snow ... and a bloody carrion .... and I have tried, spent weeks (yes : weeks !!!) in cold winter hides and only had a few "far away sightings". Doing summer-wolverines is not necessarily so difficult if you go to Finland (yes Finland, in barbaric Norway we kill them !!), know the right places and spend enough time, .... but in winter wolverines change their behaviour completely and become shyer and often "unachievable".  

My project in Finland in February & March 2019 was originally about black grouse and owls, which unfortunately failed completely. After 5 days of hard work I did not have a single picture !! "In panic" I improvised 3 days / nights in a hide with possible wolverine ... and it turned out to be a cold experience with (of various reasons) no heating through the nights. In the mornings I had 30 degrees below outside and 15 below inside the hide ... surviving the nights in 2 (improvised) thin summer sleeping bags and eating frozen food!! 

Chilly !!!

I finally got my "Deep Winter Wolverine", and I am so impressed and fascinated over how this relatively small mammal (9 - 25 kg) handles deep snow, frozen food, digging, lifting, climbing with raw power !! In every single movement the animal displays incredible muscles and alethic energy. Amazing animal !!!

Thanks to Eero Kemilä, Ilvo Juntunen & Tapio Lappalainen. 

Wolverines never walk, no matter distance, long or short, they always run 

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1250, ISO 250

Hearing camera sound

D5, 400 2,8, f/2,8, 1/400, ISO 2000

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1250, ISO 360

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 5600

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 5600

D5, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/400, ISO 8000

D5, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/400, ISO 7200

Approaching the carrion

D5, 400 2,8, f/2,8, 1/2400, ISO 10000

Hungry wolverine with frozen drool

D5, 600 4,0 + 1,4 converter = 840 mm, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 2200

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 5000

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 2200

Before leaving the carrion the female wolverine always urinates on the food to mark her territory

 D5, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/400, ISO 5600

Urinating on the food

D5, 400 2,8, f/2,8, 1/400, ISO 11400

"Oversized" paws and strong, sharp claws enables easy climbing

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1250, ISO 1000

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1250, ISO 1100

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1250, ISO 900

Later in the morning .... after the sun started "warming up" ... there was still 29,5 degrees below outside and 12,8 degrees below inside !!

iPhone

Selfie behind camera position !!

iPhone

Bonus : great grey owl
D5, 400 2,8, f/2,8, 1/1250, ISO 32000