Wolverines are wide-ranging solitary carnivores that face significant challenges in captivity; their large territory requirements make meaningful welfare provision difficult in conventional zoo enclosures.
Wolverine welfare in captivity illustrates the fundamental tension between zoo interest in exhibiting rarely seen species and the welfare requirements of those species. Wolverines evolved for vast Arctic and sub-Arctic ranges and solitary territorial lives; captive conditions that could meaningfully address these needs are rare. The welfare obligations of wolverine-holding institutions are substantial: large spaces with varied substrates and structures, careful management of the solitary housing requirement, appropriate thermal environments, and enrichment that engages the olfactory and foraging motivation of an active carnivore. Institutions that cannot meet these requirements should not hold wolverines.