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Photo by Unknown Photographer
Photo Courtesy of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Wolverine
Gulo gulo
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G4
State (S-rank): S1
External links
Species range
Wolverines have a circumboreal distribution and are found in the higher latitudes of North America, Europe, and Asia. In the continental United States, wolverines are found in the mountains of Washinton, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming with occasional individuals noted in Utah, Oregon, and California. Utah is at the southern limit of the wolverine’s historical range.
Habitat
No habitat data have been reported for this species in Utah, and Durrant (1952) did not examine any specimens from this state. Although McKay (1991) did not provide any habitat information for the reported sightings of this species in Utah, the locational data suggest that the habitats have all been montane coniferous forest, as would be expected for this species. The report of the most recent sighting that has been received stated: "The wolverine was observed coming out of a clump of subalpine spruce [subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa)? or spruce (Picea sp.)?] and traveled south to the next clump, 50 to 150 meters away." The elevation of this site is 10,200 ft.
Ecology
Wolverines require large areas with minimal disturbance. Though rangewide they utilize a wide variety of habitat types, in the southern parts of their range including Utah, wolverines inhabit mainly montane forests. The wolverine is an opportunistic feeder that engages in both scavenging and predation. Its summer diet in most places consists primarily of rodents; in North America these are mainly ground squirrels and marmots. In winter it is largely dependent on carrion of large mammals.
Threats or limiting factors
Wolverines were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in the contiguous United States due to projected future declines due to climate change and associated habitat degradation and fragmentation. Low genetic diversity may also impact the species. The natural rarity of the species exacerbates all these threats.
