Wolverines are powerful and elusive mustelids, the largest land-dwelling members of the weasel family. These muscular carnivores live solitary lives. Wolverines have a reputation for ferocity and strength disproportionate to their size, able to kill prey much larger than themselves. They survive in some of the planet’s harshest environments.
Global Range of Wolverines
Wolverines have a circumpolar distribution across the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, their range extends from Alaska and across Canada, including the Yukon, British Columbia, and Alberta. Within the contiguous United States, wolverines are primarily found in the Northern Rocky Mountains, in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, and the North Cascades in Washington and the Wallowa Range in Oregon. Historically, their presence reached further south into the Sierra Nevada of California and the Southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado and New Mexico.
Across Europe, wolverines are found in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, predominantly north of 60° N latitude. Their historical European range was more extensive, reaching into southern Sweden, Estonia, and Lithuania. In Asia, wolverines inhabit western Russia and Siberia, with populations in northeast China (Great Khingan Mountains) and Mongolia. This widespread distribution reflects their adaptability to cold, northern latitudes.
Key Habitat Characteristics
Wolverines depend on cold, snowy environments for survival and reproduction. Females require deep, persistent snow for denning, digging tunnels in snowbanks to birth and rear young, typically February to May. This snowpack provides insulation from cold temperatures and protection from predators. The presence of adequate snow through late spring is a significant factor in determining suitable habitat.
Their preferred habitats include high-altitude alpine and subalpine zones, dense coniferous forests, and vast tundra ecosystems. Wolverines select remote, undisturbed wilderness areas, avoiding regions with significant human presence or development. Cold conditions also allow wolverines to cache food, such as carrion, in snowbanks or boulder fields, preserving it for later consumption. Their large, snowshoe-like paws provide an advantage for mobility across deep snow, aiding travel and the pursuit of prey that may struggle.
Current Population and Conservation Status
Wolverines occur at low population densities and require extensive home ranges, making accurate counts challenging. Globally, the species is listed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN, though some suggest a re-evaluation to “Vulnerable” may be warranted. In Europe, the wolverine population was estimated to be around 1,300 individuals in 2023, with significant numbers in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, where it holds a “Vulnerable” status.
In North America, Canada’s wolverine population exceeds 10,000 mature individuals and remains stable. Alaska maintains a healthy wolverine population, with a recent estimate of 488 individuals on the North Slope, though this indicates a lower density than previous decades. Conversely, the contiguous United States faces a precarious situation, with fewer than 50 wolverines remaining, a substantial decline from an estimated 318 a decade prior. As of November 2023, the North American wolverine in the contiguous U.S. was listed as “Threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.
The limited distribution of wolverines today is influenced by several factors. Their reliance on cold, snowy habitats makes them susceptible to the impacts of climate change, which can reduce snowpack needed for denning. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and disturbance from human activities like road development, recreation, and trapping also limit their numbers and range. Their naturally low reproductive rate and genetic isolation in fragmented populations also contribute to their restricted presence.