Wolverine | NWT Species at Risk

Wolverine

Gulo gulo

NWT List of Species at Risk:

No status

NWT SARC Assessment:

Not At Risk

Federal Species at Risk Act list:

Special Concern

COSEWIC Assessment:

Special Concern

NWT General Status Rank:

Sensitive

Description:

The Wolverine resembles a small, stocky bear. Colour varies from brown to black, often with a pale facial mask and yellowish or tan stripes running along its sides from the shoulders and crossing at the tail.

Weight: Females, 7.5 to 11 kg (16 to 24 lb); Males, 12 to 16 kg (26 to 35 lb)

Report Wolverine sightings to WILDLIFEOBS@gov.nt.ca

Distribution

Range map information

Habitat and biology

Wolverines are found in a wide variety of habitats, from the boreal forest to alpine tundra and barren-lands. They require large wilderness areas with adequate year-round food supplies.

Wolverines are scavengers and predators that eat many different types of carrion and prey. They have strong jaws that allow them to crush bones and frozen food. They have large paws that help them move easily on top of crusted snow, and they can travel long distances.

Wolverines only breed every two years, have small litters, and their kits can have high mortality rates. Because of this, they do not recover easily from population declines.

Wolverine fur is resistant to frost and ice and, therefore, highly valued for parka trim.

Population size and trends

Wolverines occur at low densities. The NWT population is generally stable but there are indications of recent declines in the central barrens, possibly linked to Barren-ground Caribou declines.

Threats

Although this species is classified Not at Risk in the NWT, development and other human activities can disturb Wolverines and fragment habitat, even if these activities are a considerable distance from the core range of a Wolverine.

Disturbance of maternal den sites can result in abandonment of kits. Human-caused mortalities due to conflicts and harvesting could become an issue if they are not well-managed.

Protection and recovery

COSEWIC assessed Wolverine as a species of Special Concern in Canada in 2003. This status was re-examined and confirmed in 2014. Wolverine was listed as a species of Special Concern under the federal Species at Risk Act in 2018.

The NWT Species at Risk Committee assessed wolverine as Not at Risk in the NWT in 2014.

Area:

Dehcho, Gwich'in, Inuvialuit, Sahtú, South Slave, North Slave / Tłı̨chǫ

Status Report and Assessment of Wolverine in the NWT (2014)

Clarification Regarding the Assessment of Wolverine (2015)

Links:

NWT Environment and Natural Resources - Wolverine webpage