Wolverines are among the most resilient carnivores in boreal and alpine ecosystems, yet traditional steel-jaw leg-hold traps cause severe injuries and prolonged suffering before death or discovery by trappers.
Trapping wolverines in leg-hold traps represents one of the most welfare-costly methods of wildlife capture or harvest. The combination of pain, fear, exposure, and constraint over many hours creates extreme suffering. Even where trapping is legal for management purposes, welfare improvements are achievable: mandatory trap-check intervals of 24 hours or less, certified killer-trap requirements, and exclusion of leg-hold traps for wolverines would substantially reduce suffering. Non-lethal alternatives including camera trapping, live traps for research, and hair snares can achieve population monitoring without the same welfare costs.