Wolverine
Western population

Description
The Wolverine resembles a small bear with a bushy tail. It has long, thick dark brown fur that is paler on the head; two yellowish stripes start at the shoulders and meet at the rump. At birth, the Wolverine's coat is cream colored with darker legs and a masked face. The Wolverine is an aggressive carnivore equipped with a muscled body, powerful claws, a large head with strong jaws and teeth, and black piercing eyes. A male adult measures about 1 m from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, and weighs between 15 and 25 kg; the female is usually smaller than the male.

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Approximate range - not for legal use

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Distribution and Population
The size of the western population of Wolverine is unknown, because they are solitary animals that roam over large areas in search of food. Wolverine have virtually disappeared from the prairies, but they are still found in the Rocky Mountain region, in the boreal region, and in the Arctic. The Manitoba Ministry of Natural Resources reports that although Wolverine are rare in the province, the population appears to be re-invading historical ranges in the south and east.

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Habitat
The Wolverine once occupied most of mainland Canada except for Nova Scotia and Southwestern Ontario. In western Canada, Wolverines prefer the alpine tundra of the Rocky Mountains, but they descend into valleys during the winter. They are also found throughout the tundra in the Northwest Territories.

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Biology
The reproduction rate of Wolverines is very low, being less than one offspring per female per season. The breeding season extends from the end of April to the beginning of September. Litters of 2 or 3 young are common. Females normally give birth between the end of March and mid-April, but do not necessarily bear young every year. Wolverines are omnivorous, consuming a wide variety of scavenged or fresh food items ranging from large ungulates (such as moose, caribou and mountain goats) to smaller animals (such as beavers, porcupines, ground squirrels and fish) to roots and berries. The Wolverine can walk for long distances, climb trees, and swim. It remains active both day and night and throughout the year. When it seeks shelter, it prepares a rough bed under a fallen tree trunk, in a rock crevice, or under a snow-covered evergreen bough.

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Threats
Intensive hunting of ungulates (such as caribou) by humans is a major cause of the decrease of Wolverine populations throughout Canada, since ungulates are the principal food of Wolverines. The eastern population of Wolverines has also been affected by hunting and trapping for their fur. In western Canada, the practice of poisoning wolves has been detrimental to Wolverines, since many have died from the poison.

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Protection
Species that have been designated at risk by COSEWIC since the Species at Risk Act (SARA) was written must be added to Schedule 1 through a regulatory amendment. Information on this procedure, including the public consultation process, is available on the SARA Public Registry. If Wolverine Western population is added to Schedule 1, it will benefit from the protections afforded by SARA. More information about SARA, including how it protects individual species, is available in the Species at Risk Act: A Guide.

There are provincial regulations to control hunting and trapping, such as hunting permits, the establishment of hunting or trapping seasons, and quotas on the number of Wolverines which can be captured. Although the sale of Wolverine furs is not a major cause of the decreases in population size, it has been recommended that records be kept on the origin of the furs in order to assess the national export volume.

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References
- Dauphiné, Charles. 1989. Updated Status Report on the WOLVERINE, Gulo gulo, (Western population) [including Ontario], in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. 31 pp.
- Kelsall, John P. 1982. Status Report on the WOLVERINE, Gulo gulo, in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. 50 pp.

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