CASE STUDY

The wolverine, Gulo gulo, is one of the rarest, least understood large carnivores of the Arctic. The largest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, it inhabits a variety of habitats in the alpine, tundra, taiga, and boreal zones1

1Wolverines . I

The wolverine preys on hares and small rodents, as well as scavenges the prey of more efficient predators such as the lynx and wolf2

. It can also hunt larger animals like moose, and wild

caribou and reindeer. In areas where their ranges overlap, as is the case in Fennoscandia, wolverines prey on domestic sheep and semi-domestic reindeer1-3

. II

The wolverine has significant ecological, cultural, and economic significance across its range. Their frost-resistant fur is highly valued for lining parka hoods. Given its vast home ranges and dependence on large, connected, and intact ecosystems, the wolverine is one of the most sensitive terrestrial indicators of ecological integrity4

. The wolverine is also culturally important

in many regions. Indigenous Peoples in northern Alberta, Canada believe that wolverines have great powers to be both spiritual guides or relentless enemies5 the wolverine is often portrayed in folklore2

a dramatic transformation of peoples’ attitudes towards wolverine and large predators, especially in Europe6

. In northern Europe, . There has been

. Surveys

of public attitudes in Norway and Sweden indicate that overall, the public wants wolverines and other large predators to exist, although attitudes are generally more negative in areas where conflicts occur2,3

.

Wolverines occur in various distinct populations across the circumpolar region, ranging from Fennoscandia and the Russian Federation, Mongolia and China, through to Alaska, Canada, and some of the northernmost states of the USA1,7-9

.

The European population, itself sub-divided into five distinct populations1

. In Canada, although wolverines number in the thousands, the status designation of the western wolverine population is of Special Concern, while the eastern population is defined as Endangered12

Mammal Assessment10 List11

individuals are thought to also exist in eastern Russia9

, is currently classed as Vulnerable by the European and Endangered by the Norwegian Red

. Populations numbering in the thousands of and

in Alaska. Despite a global, overall continued decline in the species, the wolverine is classed as a species of Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. However, more data on population trends, especially in North Asia, may result in this species being re-assessed as Vulnerable in the near future1

. 46 PROTECTING ARCTIC BIODIVERSITY