Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Wolverines found in Tahoe. Usual Chupacabra sighting? Not likely.


Wolverines are commonly found in Tahoe? Whoever tells you that is a complete moron. California wolverines (scientists believe) became extinct in 1922. Wolverines aren't known to live in Tahoe so the closest thing to it would be a California wolverine. What was this strange creature? The wolverine was found in the Tahoe National Forest captured on a remote camera and it didn't appear to have been from California or Washington. US Forest service scientists told us this. They also told us that it resembled wolverines that they had seen in the Rocky Mountains, but it's not quite clear where it came from... or how it got there. Michael Schwartz, a research ecologist and the genetics team leader for the Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Research Station, basically said that this was a gene similar to wolverines in the Rocky Mountains, Montana, and Wyoming and they can also be found in Canada and Alaska. This is so cool. I never knew wolverines couldn't be found in Tahoe.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

great reporting b.t. and very interesting indeed. i wonder how that critter did, in fact, make it to tahoe? do you think he hitched a ride from the rockies to try snowboarding in that famous california mud they call snow?

Anonymous said...

Incredible, I had no idea. We just have to trust our own eyes, and some conventional wisdom. Excellent new blog, keep 'em coming!