Two Wolverine kits were born at the Detroit Zoo. They are the only surviving litter born at a North American zoo this year, and the first ever surviving litter born at the Detroit Zoo. The births are significant because the captive and wild wolverine populations are dwindling. There are only 77 wolverines in captivity worldwide.

Photo: The Detroit Zoo

The new kits, Sparty and Bucky, were born on February 25, 2005 and remained in an off exhibit maternity den with their mother, Aggie, until recently. The wolverine kits weigh approximately 8-10 lbs. The sex of each kit will not be determined until their mother is comfortable being separated from them, at which time Zoo veterinarians will perform natal examinations. The kits are part of the Zoo's participation in the AZA's Population Management Plan (PMP), an intensive cooperative breeding and conservation program designed to help some of the world's most threatened and critically endangered wildlife.

Photo: The Detroit Zoo

The wolverine mating season runs between June and August, with births generally occurring in February and March. Like bears, female wolverines create dens away from other wolverines and predators where they give birth. Prior to Aggie's denning, Zoo keepers installed a camera with infrared light in the den to monitor her and the kits' birth and development. Other than supplying Aggie with food and water, the family was not disturbed during the denning period. Aggie's normal exhibit mates, Luka and Jigi, were removed from the exhibit several weeks prior to her denning. Luka, a female wolverine, will return to the exhibit in approximately one year. Jigi, the kits' father, will return to the exhibit when the kits are several years older and can fend for themselves.

Photo: The Detroit Zoo

In the wild, wolverines inhabit arctic and sub-arctic areas in Russia, Canada, Scandinavia, Mongolia, and parts of the United States. Female adult wolverines usually reach 15-23 pounds, and adult males generally weigh 22-45 pounds. Wolverines are opportunistic eaters who mostly feed off the kills of hunters and wolves. In captivity, they eat a commercial, zoo-brand, feline diet, as well as fish, chicken and bones. These playful animals are a threatened species; exact population numbers are unknown but researchers believe they are low because of a decline in the animals' natural habitat and because they are hunted for their fur.

Source: The Detroit Zoo

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