Michigan's only known wolverine has been found dead along a trail in Sanilac County.

The animal, a female, was found by hikers on Saturday, said Arnie Karr, a wildlife biologist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

"There's no visible indications of the cause of death," Karr said this morning.

The wolverine, first spotted by coyote hunters in February 2004, had been in the news several times in recent weeks, including a

.

Two hikers were walking in the Minden Bog at the

when they saw the wolverine in a ditch. Due to publicity about the animal, they knew right away what they'd found, Karr said.

"According to the conservation officers, it did not appear that she had been dead very long," he said.

Jeff Ford, a science teacher at Deckerville High School, has been keeping track of the wolverine since 2005, using trail cameras, and sharing photos and video with school children and others.

"I feel like I lost a member of my family," Ford said this morning.

He found out about the death from Steve Noble, principal of the Deckerville school, who has been helping Ford with wolverine research. The two met with the conservation officers before the wolverine was taken away. Ford was able to collect some hair samples for DNA analysis.

Ford said he doesn't have any theories about what might have happened to the animal. He said he always told a white lie about the animal's exact location so as to protect her from people "seeking a trophy." She had been living in the Minden game area since at least March of 2004; he previously said she was in the Verona State Game Area east of Bad Axe.

Karr estimates the wolverine was about seven years old. She weighed 28 pounds. Wolverines have been known to live for up to 17 years in captivity.

"It was quite interesting to have her here, but we really don't know how she got here and probably never will," said Karr, who speculates the animal might have been an exotic pet that was let loose years ago.

Karr hopes to have the animal mounted and put on display at

, since it was such a rare creature. The wolverine was the first of its kind spotted in the state in about 200 years.

The animal has been sent to a lab for examination to see if a cause of death can be determined.

Karr said he doesn't believe anyone intentionally harmed the animal.