Wolverines are powerful, elusive animals whose historical and current distribution largely excludes New Hampshire. Understanding their characteristics and preferred habitats clarifies why they are not typically found in this region. This also helps distinguish them from other animals native to New Hampshire sometimes mistaken for them.
Understanding the Wolverine
Wolverines (Gulo gulo) are the largest terrestrial members of the weasel family, Mustelidae. They have a compact, muscular build, typically weighing 17 to 40 pounds and standing about 1.5 feet tall, with males being larger. Their thick, dark brown, water-resistant fur often features pale chestnut bands along their sides, sometimes with white patches on their throat or chest. They have a broad head, short, furry ears, and large, five-toed paws with semi-retractable, crampon-like claws for climbing and moving through snow.
These carnivores are found in remote, cold, northern regions, including boreal forests and subarctic and alpine tundras. Their diet is omnivorous and opportunistic, largely consisting of carrion, especially in winter, but they also hunt small to medium-sized animals. Wolverines are solitary, known for their endurance and ability to travel significant distances. They do not hibernate and are well-adapted to harsh winter conditions, often relying on their strong sense of smell to locate food under snow.
Wolverine Presence in New Hampshire
Wolverines are not currently found in New Hampshire. While their historical North American range was more extensive, reaching parts of the northeastern United States, verifiable records from this region are scarce and some early accounts may represent misidentifications. The species is listed as extirpated from New Hampshire.
Their absence is due to specific habitat requirements New Hampshire generally does not meet. Wolverines thrive in vast, remote wilderness areas with persistent spring snow cover, crucial for denning and caching food. These conditions are found in their current strongholds, including northern and western Canada, Alaska, and isolated high-elevation habitats in the contiguous United States, such as Montana and Idaho. New Hampshire’s environment, while mountainous, lacks the extensive, deep snowpack and large undisturbed tracts of land needed to support a breeding wolverine population.
Commonly Confused Animals
Since wolverines are not present in New Hampshire, reported sightings often result from confusion with other native wildlife, particularly the fisher. Fishers are also weasel family members and share superficial resemblances, leading to misidentification. However, fishers are significantly smaller, typically weighing 4.5 to 15 pounds and measuring about 3 feet long including their tail, compared to a wolverine’s 17-40 pounds.
Fishers have long, slender bodies, short legs, a pointed muzzle, and a long, bushy tail. While both animals have dark fur, wolverines are distinguished by their stockier build and characteristic pale flank stripe. Fishers are agile climbers found in forested habitats, including those in New Hampshire. The American marten, a smaller cousin, is also present and sometimes mistaken for larger mustelids.