Semi-OT: Alaskans want to train wolverines to rescue avalanche survivors
Although the author admits her skepticism of the project (wolverines have "a tendency to leap at any soft neck tissue they see"), a wild-life photographer and the founder of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center think it's worth a try.
If people are going to change minds on this, it's Mike Miller and Steve Kroschel, two dudes in Alaska who really, really love wolverines. The pair have teamed up on a one-of-a-kind pilot project that, fingers crossed, could be using the small but mighty beasts' super powers of scent to save lost skiers caught in avalanches by winter 2017.
Kroschel says the key is to train them from infancy to imprint them with humans as buddies. However...
...even with careful training, Kroschel says the current plan won't allow a wolverine to actually dig for a rescue. He adds his own trained wolverines can still act pretty scrappy. "They bite me on the neck, and they drag me around," he tells me. "They know just how hard to bite without killing me."
April 29th, 2016 at 11:28 AM ^
1. This has been posted to the board at least twice already.
2. I first read this as Arkansasians, which, to me, made even more sense. I guess my brain thought that the Alaskan article had been on the board so much that this post had to be a new development.
3. Arkansas sucks a lot, they shoud definitely try to train some Wolverines. Clean up the gene pool a tad.
April 29th, 2016 at 11:46 AM ^
Considering this particular article was dated yesterday, I can't imagine the tale was told in quite this quirky way, but if it's over-kill...
April 29th, 2016 at 11:51 AM ^
Yeah not this article, just that this (idiotic) concept has been proposed.
You good fam.
April 29th, 2016 at 11:27 AM ^
What could possibly go wrong?
April 29th, 2016 at 11:30 AM ^
Wolves not available?
Grizzlies?
April 29th, 2016 at 11:34 AM ^
to *put avalanche survivors out of their misery.*
April 29th, 2016 at 11:35 AM ^
"Hey, uh yea we found the body... but it's a bloody mangled mess now."
April 29th, 2016 at 11:35 AM ^
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April 29th, 2016 at 11:48 AM ^
What could go wrong?
April 29th, 2016 at 11:50 AM ^
Ned fucking Ryerson!!
April 29th, 2016 at 12:34 PM ^
This video has me dangerously convinced that I could have a wolverine pet and not be mauled frequently.
The wolverine returns with 2 of his buds and they eat the guy's face, fingers and junk.
April 29th, 2016 at 12:21 PM ^
On the off chance I ever survive and avalanche, an actual wolverine may be the last thing I want to see coming my way. Unless they are repelled by the scent of urine, because I would definitely piss myself.
doing it this way would guarantee your funeral would be one to remember.
But if it's a wolverine on the prowl, a voluntary decision whether or not to pee would be more about personal preference—you wanna suffocate or be savagely eaten?
April 29th, 2016 at 12:29 PM ^
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Heaven is in Alaska.
Rescue St. Barnard's carrying barrels of whiskey to Michigan to help out stranded boaters who run out of alcohol in the middle of the lake...