Wolverines are solitary, wide-ranging carnivores that present unique welfare challenges in zoos, requiring specialised enclosures and management to meet their behavioural needs.
Wolverines present a profound welfare challenge in captivity because their natural lifestyle is almost the antithesis of what a zoo can easily provide. Their vast home ranges, solitary nature, and need for cold, complex terrain mean that standard zoo enclosures are likely inadequate. Institutions keeping wolverines must invest heavily in large, naturalistic enclosures with thermal control, digging substrate, elevated structures, and rotating enrichment. The small number of wolverines in captivity globally makes sharing expertise between facilities critical to improving welfare outcomes.