Wolverines depend on persistent spring snowpack for den site insulation and food caching, making them one of the most climate-vulnerable mammals in North America and Eurasia.
Wolverines whose denning habitat disappears due to snowpack loss face reproductive failure — kits born in inadequate dens without sufficient insulation die of exposure and cold. Mothers that cannot find suitable den sites may fail to reproduce entirely. The welfare harm begins before birth and extends through the survival challenges of kits in increasingly marginal habitat. As with polar bears, the most impactful welfare intervention for wolverines is climate action that limits warming to preserve mountain snowpack. Habitat connectivity that allows range shifts to higher elevations is a complementary strategy that gives individual wolverines access to remaining suitable conditions.