Wolverines are elusive carnivores known for their strength and wide-ranging habits across northern landscapes. These animals, resembling small bears with bushy tails, are the largest terrestrial members of the weasel family. Their tenacity and adaptability to harsh environments often lead to questions about their presence in various regions, including North Dakota.
Wolverines in North Dakota: Current Status
Wolverines are not considered a resident breeding population within North Dakota’s borders, though rare, confirmed instances of transient individuals have occurred. The most notable was in 2016, marking the first verified sighting in over a century. This wolverine, a male known as M56, was tagged in Wyoming near Yellowstone National Park and traveled over 2,000 miles to North Dakota. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department confirmed this event, noting that unconfirmed sightings are more frequent. While listed as “furbearers” with a closed season, state law permits their killing if they threaten livestock; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not currently classify them as endangered in North Dakota.
Historical Presence and Range
Historically, wolverines had a much broader distribution across North America, including parts of the contiguous United States. Records indicate their presence in North Dakota, primarily through trapping reports from the early 1800s, particularly in the Pembina Hills area. However, verified sightings in the state largely ceased around 1850. Their historical presence in the Central Great Plains was generally sparse and unevenly distributed. By the early 20th century, wolverine populations were largely eliminated from much of their former range in the lower 48 states due to factors such as trapping, poisoning, and hunting.
Wolverine Habitat and Ecology
Wolverines thrive in cold, snowy climates with vast, undisturbed wilderness, preferring arctic, subarctic, alpine, and boreal forest environments. Deep, persistent snow cover is essential for denning, where females birth and raise their young, and facilitates their movement. These animals require extensive home ranges, often hundreds of square miles, to find sufficient food and mates. North Dakota’s landscape, predominantly prairie grasslands, plains, and badlands, differs significantly from these wolverine strongholds. The state’s agricultural areas, combined with an absence of high-elevation snow cover and vast undisturbed forests, make most of North Dakota unsuitable for a resident wolverine population; climate change also threatens wolverine habitats by reducing vital snowpack.