What is the largest member of the weasel family?

Members of the weasel family, also known as 'mustelids', usually have long tube-shaped bodies, short legs, and small heads. Wolverines, which have brown fur, big claws, and muscular bodies, are often mistaken for bears, but they are actually the largest member of the weasel family. Other mustelids include otters, ferrets, martens, minks, badgers and, of course, weasels.

Wolverines are very strong and can take down animals over twenty times their size, such as caribou and moose. They have adapted to extremely cold climates to stalk their prey and can walk easily across the snowy ground and scale cliffs and peaks with the help of their non-retractable claws. A strong sense of smell and extremely sharp teeth help wolverines scavenge under the snow during the winter months and consume frozen meat.

The creatures live primarily in the arctic and alpine regions of Canada, Alaska, Siberia, and Scandinavia. The males grow to about 18 inches (46 cm) tall, whilst the females only reach 14 inches (36 cm). Their length ranges from 36 inches (91 cm) to 45 inches (110 cm) and they can weigh up to 36 lb (16 kg).