Wolverine

[MikeCooper]

I live in Milford Ma and believe I spotted a wolverine in my back yard early this am. He was eating the carcus of an opossum. He matches the discription perfectly but is itpossible that one exists in my area of the state. I have about 3 acres of woods behind my house but certainly not a forest.
Thanks
Mike

[Clanad]

Anything is possible, but the wolverine has been listed as extinct in Massachusetts since the mid-1800's. Here's an article written this month in Salem that also reported an unusual animal. http://www.salemnews.com/local/local_story_067 094831?keyword=secondarystory . Many of the sitings may be the Fisher or Fisher Cat.

By the way, this is primarily a U.K. site, but there are a few of us Yanks that frequent the site. You may not get a lot of replies and the usually stiff upper lipped Brits sometimes love to jump on unwary Americans... be prepared, but ignore it. I live in the western inter-mountain region of the U.S.

[pmjblue]

got to ask, what is a wolverine and an opossum?

Clanad - what you talking about, stiff upper lip - why wouldnt he get many replies?

[leelapops]

Clanad-not met many Brits, have you?!
Lisa.

[Clanad]

I've met several on this site, leelapops ... most are really interesting and quite friendly, but there are others, no?

Additionally, pmjblue, some here don't pass up the chance to pounce on unsuspecting Americans and state "this is a U.K. site... hmmpf!"... Sorry if any offense inferred, but I've been on the site for a few years and that's my observation.

A wolverine is a badger like animal native to a lot of North America. It's quite a bit larger than a badger but just as ill tempered. Picture here: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http:// www.wildlands.org/images/wolverine-2.jpg&imgre furl=http://www.wildlands.org/l_wolverine.html &h=233&w=350&sz=17&tbnid=ffUj48y8UyTCjM:&tbnh= 80&tbnw=120&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPicture%2Bof%2B a%2Bwolverine&start=2&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image& cd=2
An oppossum (usually called a 'possum) is a small, usually nocturnal animal that populates a lot of the U.S., especially rural areas. It's only living marsupial (mammal with a pouch) in North America today. They "play possum" when threatened...i.e., roll over, curl their lip in a feigned death grimace and appear totally dead. One sees a lot of them as "road kill", especially in southern states. If one knows how to cook them, as my grandfather did, they are passable as a meal...

Sorry for the thread hi-jack, Mike ...

[Clanad]

By the way, here's a possum...

http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/recipes/possum.jp g

[wolf63]

I'm friendly, but I'm not a 'Brit' I'm a Scot.

It must be great living near cougars and all that. All we have is Scottish wild cats - and they are WILD.

[Annlinda]

I'm English and live next door to a Scot....
.....now that is scary :)

[MikeCooper]

Additional comment from the questionee!. Upon further review (as they say in American Football) I have decided that it could have been a rather large Fisher. I am sending a photo and paw print (thanks to a recent snowfall) to the wildlife folks in the region. Thanks for your input.