A wolverine at one of the hair snag stations for a multi-year wolverine research project in western Canada. The station uses bait to attract wolverines and is designed to take a hair sample and photo via remote camera of the wolverine’s underside to determine its sex and identity via the unique fur pattern. (Mirjam Barrueto, wolverinewatch.org)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative

Research shows substantial drop in wolverine numbers in western Canada, says conservation group

Oct 27, 2022 | 1:00 PM

New research shows wolverine numbers in Canada’s Rocky Mountain national parks are declining, highlighting a need to think beyond protected areas to help the species thrive in a changing climate.

That according to the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.

Published Monday, the new study is said to include a decade of research in and around Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks. Lead researcher Mirjam Barrueto, PhD candidate at the University of Calgary, collaborated with Parks Canada researchers and used photos and DNA samples of wolverines to study protection status, human disturbance, snow cover and trapping.

Even in the relative safety of parks, wolverine numbers are diminishing, say officials – 39 per cent overall since 2011, or an average decrease of 7.5 per cent annually.

Population density is said to be higher inside the park borders, but numbers are dropping in both locations. Researchers say the decline is likely related to high trapping rates just outside park boundaries, the impacts of people recreating in the parks, and climate change.

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“Our findings are sobering and do not paint a pretty picture for the future of wolverines. Still, I am optimistic this work will be used to make strong science-based management decisions for these tough carnivores,” says Barrueto.

“Parks and protected areas alone are not enough for species to do well. Improving, not just maintaining, connectivity in and out of park borders will be the key to help wolverines in the coming decades,” says Jodi Hilty, president and chief scientist at Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, one funder of the study.

“This is a worrying trend. Effective conservation needs to look at multiple effects and across broad scales and borders given the rapidly changing landscape and human activities.”

Wolverines are described as resilient, yet sensitive to human disturbance and prefer deep snow to raise their kits, to keep them warm and safe from predators. This makes them vulnerable to a changing climate.

With large home ranges and sparse distribution, this solitary species is acknowledged as difficult to study. Officials say this is but one reason they are listed under Canada’s the Species at Risk Act as “special concern.”

In Alberta, according to officials, wolverines do not have any special status and were considered data deficient, and this study provides such critical information. This study is said to be the first in Canada to study population trends and adds to a growing body of science showing what wolverines need to thrive.

Located in the heart of the Yellowstone to Yukon region, the Canadian Rocky Mountain national parks are still home to large wildlife present at the ice age, including elk, wolves, grizzly bears and wolverines.

Researchers say keeping this area intact and ensuring wildlife thrive is key to warding off the worst effects of climate change, when wildlife will need to adapt when and where they find food or habitat.

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